Going to the Mat

So we're jumping in today with something that has become a bit of a Disney trope.

But before we get into it, I have a question. Yes, back in the day, did you have a favorite sports based movie. Doesn't he have to be Disney?

Remember the Titans?

That was yours? Remember the Titans? Really, I hate to say this, I've never seen it.

You are kidding me right now?

Is that the it's the football movie? Right, the football movie? Is this the one? Wait, I'm sorry, is this the.

One where the Washington right?

Is this traffic?

Is this the one they have the scene where they lay in traffic that people got into a whole lot of trouble for, so they ended up cutting it from the movie.

I don't know that you would know more than about it if that's the case. I don't know that. But it's it's set in a time where oh, that's the program.

I'm sorry, that's a movie called the Program. Different movie.

Yes, it's it's set in the time where he's an African American coach like that in a like a white suburban town. It's a big deal. He gets obviously a lot of hate, hate and paniers in it. She's like a teeny tiny little bopper.

She's so cute.

She's so cute in it. It's just the message is so awesome. I mean, you know, obviously my coaching. You know, I love coaches pep talks and how they how they really dive into their kids and their students' lives. This is just one of like the most epic coach driven movies. It's so good.

I love a coach driven movie, and.

I love like the football scenes are so intense and so good, Like it's so good to watch yours.

You know. I'd love to say Who's because Who's Just is a phenomenal movie. I haven't seen it again. Who's Just like Old School, just a great, great movie. I'd love to say The Natural, But at the same time, It's Red.

It's bad.

Rad is my favorite movie of the sports movie of all time because.

A be what would be considered a cheesy BMX movie from the eighties that is just the best.

It's like Lori Laughlin's one of her first movies.

Okay, and it's like slightly I feel.

Like my sister liked it. Oh, such a good movie. So I man, I'd love to put it. You've come up with this amazing It's like Denzel Washington teaching his team, like, oh yeah, you gotta try. I'm rad. It's about writing hell track at the end.

And you know what, though, those movies are so I just I love the like intensity of watching any sport. I just I really do.

I like sports movies.

They're so good there.

I like them as much as I like a musical.

I do.

I love them them slightly more.

Even if I don't know anything about the sport, I can totally get into. I can watch a documentary I watched. I get into like phases. I watched three baseball documentaries on these coaches. I couldn't even tell you what the names were, but I was so into it because they were It was one was a picture, one was a coach, one was you.

Know, a batter. I love sports stuff like I do too, all right, So then I just have to recommend look into the ESPN thirty for thirties. You'll absolutely love them.

They'll chair thirty for thirties, Okay, you will love them.

So anyway, that brings us right to the movie that we're gonna do today. But before then, I want to welcome you to Magical Rewind. It's the show that makes you want to grab your friends, your pjs, and your popcorn and go back to a time when all the houses were smart.

The Waves, Tsunamis and the high School's musical I'm Wilfredll.

And I'm Sabrina Brian.

And for today's episode, we're getting into referees pose for the two thousand and four Blind high School wrestler drama Going to the matt This is another entry into the Disney Original movies that revolves as we were talking about sports, which is obviously a huge trope in the Disney world. Oh the Disney world, which is it's very common, But this one has a very big difference, actually has several differences.

Just asked me, dah La me lad. But in the vein of Rudy or Coach Carter or Remember the Titans, or Hoosier's or rad on a smaller level, it doesn't take much to figure out how this movie plays out. But we need to break it down because okay, I want to get right into this. What did you think of this movie? Right?

What did I think of the movie?

Yeah? Right?

I think before I got into the movie, I didn't.

Want to start there. Then did you know this movie even existed?

Never seen it? Never seen it?

Had you heard that it was a thing?

No? I never heard about it never. And honestly, I'm not a wrestling fan.

Okay, I think I go straight to w WE.

Like yeah, not No, I'm not really a big fan. But and and even in high school, I knew no wrestlers. I didn't know anything about the sport. I was never around anyone that was a wrestler. So I really wasn't thinking I was gonna like it. I kind of was. I mean, you know, cool, and we've got Andy Lawrence. He's incredible. I had no idea where it was going. So the whole time the movie kept getting better and better and breaking through my expectations more and more. And

What I agree with? This is? Okay? You want my thoughts? Yes, this is the best d com we've watched so far by far.

You know what you and I are really, I'm telling you you are.

Really becoming just so on the same path with these agree, I was gonna say the same thing. I love Descendants. It's great on a great different level. It's like apples and oranges. This is absolutely the best movie.

We've watched this movie all the way around. Yes, I amazing.

Oh I'm getting chills thinking about it. I love this movie so much. And I was so scared about how much I loved it because I wasn't sure what the thoughts was with you, and I didn't want you to think I was. I don't.

I was like, am I just this is emotional?

Lately?

I watched this with my wife. She will walk out of some of these dcoms like, all right, you're on your own for the rest of this kind of thing. We sat there riveted by this movie. It was well written, well directed, well at the acting next level.

I couldn't wait to get to the notes, and I was scrolling going did this nominated?

For God?

I was so into it.

It so good.

This movie felt like a I mean, we talk about these are movies, not films. This felt like a film to me.

I agree.

I agree with you one hundred percent. It seemed like it was on a completely different level.

I still don't love wrestling. I will say that I don't love the sport, but I am definitely going to watch this one again. My my husband is you gotta get over at Springett. We get it and I know you like it because I'm like, you gotta watch it, bab You have you watched this one?

Wait? The best coon there's ever been.

It's great so far, it is the best econ we've watched. I will say, I grew up so small, we're on.

The same page. I was kind of nervous.

Okay, we are the small town that I grew up in. We were Our school was famous for two things, soccer and wrestling.

Will I swear I have it in my notes literally right here. I want to know if this was something that was big on the West Coast for you.

Huge, huge East Coast. My my was very well known for their wrestling program.

We had a lot of people attend the the oh yeah, the matches, every yeah, the meets.

Everyone was at the meets.

It was there were We had students that were going on to wrestle for Annapolis that were wrestling for huge schools.

I mean we were. We were state champs over and I say wee, as if I had anything to do with it.

But that was my next question. Did you wrestle?

No? No, not at all with anxiety. That's it. So no, I was not a wrestling guy at all, but.

Watching it, I was a big fan of watching wrestling because it was it became exciting, it did which and when you watch this movie you can see why.

Uh yeah, I think we need to break down the movie.

So before let's do it, we fireman carry this one to a pin. Thank you, as you can tell that I'm great with all the lingo we're gonna hear hear in the synopsis of the film, So here it is.

Uh. City Kid Jason Jace Neufeld is the new student at a rural high school and and is also blind. UH.

When he feels his musical skills aren't helping him fit in, he decides to join the wrestling team, which is a big attempt for someone with his disability. It stars Andy Lawrence's Jace.

Andy, of course, is the youngest brother of the Lawrence Dynasty, a group of three brothers who have just had a headlock on being young actors in Hollywood. Joey Lawrence obviously is the oldest and he found the most fame on Blossom and as a bona fide pop star. He also started on Giving Me a Break. He's been acting since he was like five years old. Matthew Lawrence not his pop oh yes album.

Yes.

Then there's the middle one, Matthew who I don't know what he's done. I've never really heard of him. And then there's Andy, who appeared on shows like Blossom with his brother as well Tom Arnold's Tom and recently he was on Hawaii five Oh.

He was also the voice of TJ on Recess, and he starred in Brotherly Love as this com along with Joey and I want to say, Matthew Is that what his name was?

That ran from ninety five to ninety seven. I'm kidding. I love Maddie.

We did boy Me Tworld together. He's a close friend and I love him forever. Cleo Thomas plays the new best friend Fly and you may recognize him from one of the greatest movies starring children. I'm sorry, I will say that in a very long time. I'll put it up there with things like goonies and stuff like people are like, you gotta be kidding me, But Holes was a great movie, so he was in Holes. He was also in Walking Tall. He's done rap albums.

They've put him on tour with bowow Ice Cube and Snoop Dogg, and he's now a very very popular streamer on Twitch.

I actually saw him at D twenty three not too long ago. We had a very nice conversation. It was a ton of fun.

He's such a nice guy and just also kills it in this movie. Then we've got Alessandra Torresani, who plays Mary Beth Rice, who's the love interest and tutor. She later appeared in a handful of Big Bang Theory episodes as Claire, and has worked consistently over the years, showing up on Batwoman, The Fosters, and American Horror Story Again. Amazing D B. Sweeney who talk about sports movies. He

And he's moved into hosting as his main gig in the twenty twenties, leading Let's Make a Deal Now for years. It was directed by Stuart Gillard, who also helmed Teenage Mutant, Ninja, Turtles three, and other dcoms like Twitches, Twitches two, Hatching Pete, The Famous Hatching Pete, and Full Court Miracle. More recently, he executive produced TV shows like Salvation, Charmed and So Helped Me Todd.

It was written apparently by a whole team of people. Chris Nolan, who is not the same Chris Nolan who did Oppenheimer, is one of the writers and got a story by credit alongside his wife Lorie Nolan, and then

Yeah, oh wow.

Yeah.

They're obviously bringing in serious talent. You can see it. It's on the screen. You can see the writing is a I really love this movie. Yes, it runs a tight ninety two minutes, which is two from the target, and it aired in March of two thousand and four, marking a recent twenty year anniversary. Another twenty year anniversary,

Like and it's our forty fifth anniversary. Oh jeez, I just feel old, I know. Like I said, there are so many pots reviews of this movie. Laura Frieze or fries A Variety wrote, Although a bit heavy on the slow most sports sequence, Gillard otherwise nicely balances action with drama, touching on universal themes of alienation and the undue pressures

I love that. Yes, thank you, because it deserves it.

It was amazing.

We have to do a quick pre acknowledgment of something here, because movies now in twenty twenty four that tell the story of blind characters, or really any characters with disabilities, should we really involve actors in some capacity that have those disabilities as well. I think that is happening more and more. But of course the inclusivity that's happening now is a wonderful thing. It was not really existing in the nineties.

It's no one's fault. It's just what the times were like.

But it is worth noting that, you know, it would have been nice to see some people that actually had some disabilities in the film as well, But again, it was the times, and we try to judge it for what it was at the time and not for what it would be now.

But it certainly would be a different thing. So it starts with here's what I loved. Okay, now we're jumping into it because now it's time for both of us to gush. It starts with Jason in his New York school. It starts with an incredible concert going on. He's a rock drummer, and in real life, Andy played all the instruments. Yes, he actually you know that.

I mean I knew that about Andy going into it, so it was awesome to get to see him really jam I mean.

I knew he was great at guitar because obviously I know Andy, so I've been with him while he's kind of picked up the guitar and started jamming. And I know he can sing. You know, all his brothers are very musical. I didn't know he also played the drums and the keyboards. I mean he's a faceted yes, musicians he is.

I mean it was it was awesome. Can you imagine too, Like as we know and you know, able to display those talents not very often, especially you know when you're younger, do you get a role that allows you to show that you are more than an actor?

Yeah?

So so excited for him once he started going. I was because I again don't know anything about the movie, had no idea there was any musical element. So he starts playing or start he's playing the drums. I'm like, not, okay, all right, okay, Dan, point number one.

We have to talk a little bit about the fact that at this time in his life he looks like he is exactly a combination of Matt and Joey. Yes, he looks like Matt and sounds like joe Yes.

But even still, I still think there's moments where he gives a look and I'm looking at him, going, you look so much Because to me watching watching their show growing up, I felt Matt and Joey looked a lot more like and and Andy had his own look he had He just looked very different. His eye shaped, things about him just looked very different. I mean, obviously he's the younger one, right, they were, you know the baby. Yeah, but this movie, for the first time I really felt he looked in the middle.

It was crazy.

He also just stole this movie, but I just I still want to jump into more of that. But he's playing all the stuff for real, which is so impressive. And he's performing at Carnegie Hall with the school's jazz band, and it's we're setting up that he's blind obviously, and that he's uber talented, and he also then it jumps to him in the in the park in Central park,

Nobody cares that he's blind. He's just he's got a great life. He's in his element all the way around.

He's comfortable.

And the writing of that one scene, that's all you need is to show that he's got ways of overcoming certain sports, because he obviously loves playing sports. So they show him shooting, you know, playing baseball and he's pitching

Just too many great writing. Yes, two minutes, Yes, set everything up all the way around there.

And he's also what's interesting is at the if you didn't know what this movie was about, starting with him at Carnegie Hall and ripping on the drums, you easily thought this could be a movie about a blind musician. They were going to go a Stevie Wonder Ray, Charles jose Feliciano kind of way.

But they didn't.

It's a sports movie where they just also let him played music. It was ugh anyway, Yeah, it's a great way to show uh.

The opening.

It also establishes that he's moving to Utah, which, of course we have established is the dcom capital of the world.

And I don't know, I mean, I it's interesting because I don't know why it needs to be Utah. There's there didn't seem to be a reason it needs to be Utah, except for the fact that once you get those out exterior shots mountains and the right crown, it's like, I don't know, you know, I mean, maybe it could be in another mountain town. But yeah, it's it's it's.

I also, is you ta I'm gonna I'm gonna use a word here, I'm not even sure is right.

I'm putting in quotes.

They try to make it seem like he's going to a quote unquote hicic town. Is that what Utah is considered?

Is it tend to utass so many times? And that is definitely not some away I would ever ever sure describe it sure ever.

I mean it's not a stereotype.

And I don't know why it had to be Utah if that's what he was gonna do. It could have been another more maybe somewhere where there was mountains as well, but where it is known a little bit more as a country or hick. Yeah, whatever they're trying to portray, because I just it just that doesn't describe Utah at.

All to me.

Yeah, that's why I thought it was interesting that they went that way. But that being said, they get him there, he gets into the school and he's kind of a jerk right off the bat.

They didn't like. I thought about.

Something like and was reminded instantly of having to move the kind of fish out of water story of Johnny Tsunami. But when Johnny got to his new school, he was super cool, he was helpful, he was sharing, and they didn't accept him anyway. And I thought it was interesting what they did this time, where it's like they kind of made Andy's character. They made Jason a bit of a jerk coming in, he instantly tries to start some trouble, And I'm curious, did you have any trouble liking him

No, it didn't. I felt it odd in the sense of, well, that's a weird choice to go into a new school. I felt that odd, but it didn't take it as not really liking him. It was I thought that maybe there was going to be more backstory coming that he was.

Really bullying, because I thought it was odd.

Considering he came from a place where it seemed like he was really loved and people really enjoyed him and rooted for him, or you know, or just really he was just a very normal person, a normal kid with a normal friend group, and I thought maybe there was going to be a backstory that came out, because I mean it was a little jarring, whoa, why why are you so?

Why are you so angry?

But then it's also he really did not want to leave New York.

Yeah. It also later with Wayne Brady kind of saying, you know you've had you have a giant chip on your shoulder, yes, so that you know, he comes in kind of with this attitude and maybe what I think what they were going for this is how I kind of justified it. But I loved how they went that way with the character, where they made him kind of the jerk. Not everyone around him was the.

Jerk, right.

I did like him?

Yeah, me too, And I thought maybe it had something to do with the fact that he's had to deal with this so many different times in his life that he are automatically goes into new situations assuming people are going.

To judge him for his disability.

Yes, that's so he was putting on a front before someone else could. I mean, he was saying the blind jokes before someone else was going to make fun of him for being blind, like he was calling it first. So it didn't make me not like him. It was just kind of what his you know, soon to be love interest is says well, wow, I mean, do you just really gotta i mean coming out of the gates?

Yeah, coming out man like geez.

But another great show of how Jase has really learned to live his life with his disability.

Uh.

The time we meet the very before we even get to the school, we get to meet his pal Fly, who is on the you know, he's shooting. Jase's shooting hoops with the aid of a little speaker that beeps to show where the hoop is, and his friend Fly comes up. This is the first time that they meet, and he's kind of testing to see if he's blind.

Yes, and I did think it was weird that he came to the basketball court, but not to play basketball, right, Yeah, he.

Was, he was driving by, but maybe he saw somebody playing thought it was.

A new kid. But he he establishes very quickly that he is not an.

Athlete, Right, that's why why would you come to the basketball court? That's kind of seems like it's in the middle of nowhere.

It's an interesting point.

Maybe, okay, maybe he heard the beeping and wanted to see what the beeping and stuff was coming from court.

Maybe maybe maybe.

We'll give it. We'll give him that because the movie is so good. Fair enough, So he starts in the school.

He comes in hot with an attitude. He essentially we meet we meet Mary Beth, who we find out is going to be his reader. One the people who volunteered and one of the things that I find cool about every character that they're introducing is they're all kind of quippy with each other. Where he even says to her right off the bat something along the lines, oh, I know, you're doing this for the grade, and she's like, no, it's for the money.

Yeah, you know. It's like they're just they're all witty, yes, and they're joking around with each other, and they're not They're they're treating him like they would treat anybody else. The only person treating anybody.

Different is him, right, which again I thought was a very interesting way to go with the character, where I your lead character is kind of the jerk, yes, And I.

Thought it was interesting, and I kinda was that that's very different than what's a normal, you know, way to go with when they get when the I mean, he wasn't really necessarily the villain, but the bully, right, the lead jock. Yeah, he he kind of leans into him more so like what what's wrong?

What's that with you?

Why are you?

You know?

But at the same time he he gives him like a pass like all right, whatever, you know, and kind of just brushes him off instead of remember again going back to Johnny's younamy, how angry the got so fast? You didn't even know this guy, you know whatever. It was interesting. It was a total flip and I really enjoyed it. Too cool to see something different.

You know, they're both kind of being jerks to each other. But that's can can happen at high school with that is.

Such a typical normal hallway exchange at a high school.

Yes, exactly.

And on the first person that brought up anything about blind like he even says, what are you blind? When the guy but when he bumps into him, when Jase bumps into him and he turns around, he goes, oh, sorry, like he apologizes, yeah, I guess you are, and then Jace instantly takes it to I'm starting with this guy.

Calm down. It was great.

So we're navigating through school, we're meeting some of the other characters. Now we get to his music class and this is the first time where we meet Wayne Brady's character.

And I fell out of my seat again. I've I didn't look and I love this. This was so fun to not look into it is that that's Wayne Brady. Oh my gosh, oh my god. Because I love him. I do too love Wayne Brady.

But also then making turning out where he's blind too.

Then it hits is is he is he okay all right? Wayne Wayne Bline? I was, oh my god, this is insane again Bohm point number two or three at this point, and.

They're sitting there and they're playing I think they're playing back and they're playing obviously very nice, and Jason again first day of school takes off with the song of his own.

He gets bored. He doesn't want to do it this way. He thinks New York is better and they do better music and they have a better town and they do and so again he's kind of the jerk he is, and Wayne by puts him in his place in such a great way so quickly. Uh and the oh, it's just he even says to him, if you want special treatment, go to a special school.

Right, And that hit hard me. That was like, I mean, oh, my cause, exactly, you want people to treat you with respect, and you need to treat me as a teacher. I'm not going to you know. And the crazy part, you know, as as I obviously the teacher is informed already about this new student coming right into his class, but no one has informed Jase about his teacher, and so that the whole way that but when when she leans over and says, he's just like you.

He's just like you. Oh whoops, and then it gives Andy the great line or Chase the great line. Well wow, it really is the blind leading the blind. Yeah, and then and Wayne Brady slaps him down again, like, oh look at you, You're so funny. What a clown.

I mean, just I love that they brought in this other character who's like, you've got a chip on your shoulder because you're blind.

I'm blind, we're blind. Deal with it.

Now, you live your life and you still are the best possible person you can be, because this is what we've got, and it was just so good. But then we finally get to meet Speaking of great actors, we get to meet Dbe Sweeney, who plays Coach Rice. And here's something I thought they did that was so clever. The first time we meet him, he's.

It's regular gym class, he's having them split up for basketball, and he says to Jace, you know what, why why don't you take this time to do some homework or something?

You can't do this in Jason's like don't worry a coach. I played basketball at the time. He's like, yep, I can't do that here.

How do you do that?

He's like, oh, it's a bounce past rule and I've got the speaker. He's like, yeah, great, I'll look into it, but go sit on the bench.

Yeah.

So they set it up where maybe this guy is going to be the jerk and kind of like, Okay, here's the villain guy who's really going to hold him.

Back back, and we've got to fight against him and do And then they switch that too to not be that at all.

It was just about who didn't know how to handle this new student right away?

Right?

And that that I think happens a lot because I think people obviously teachers have a very big job, but people tend to forget that they are also human too, and also struggle with possibly. I mean, how many students you get in a class, how many periods you have, how many years you've been teaching. Sometimes you get thrown something that you just don't you don't know how to handle right, you know, and.

You think you're doing your best, but you're not really fit. You don't it's not what's best. And they're both trying to figure it out. But it was such again, kind of different for some of the Disney movies. It's a character that is one of the supporting characters, a complete supporting character, but there's such depth to the character.

Yes, yes, that sometimes you don't get in these dcoms.

You don't always get a supporting character that they've really flushed out right, because he also turns out to be Mary Beth's dad.

And the wrestling coach. The wrestling coach, which is great because you know the title of the movie.

You know that's what this is slightly important, that's gonna matter down the line at some point, and so he you know, it's Mary Beth. When Jase gives this line essentially saying, you know, he's having another run in now with the main quote unquote bad guy, the captain of the wrestling team, even though he kind of started it, and he says, man, I would love to take a crack at that guy, and it's Mary Beth who says, why don't you try wrestling, which starts him down this

Great time to both of them, too, right to both of them. And that's that's one thing I learned in this movie is you know, and they make a they make a comment about it. You know, you don't have to be the biggest, baddest guy to be able to be good at this specific sport, which I didn't think of that. And it's cool that there's different weight classes that allow you to be able to not go in there as a smaller guy and get creamed by some giant. Right if right smaller you get to it's awesome.

Yeah. No again. And there was my friend in high school, the guy who went on wrestled for Annapolis, I think wrestled at that weight class that wrestled. It was either one, one, one, o three or ninety five. I mean these are flyweights or tiny what. But he was just shredded and could throw people around. It was amazing. So he starts to get into the idea of wrestling.

And here's another thing that we we love because we have to talk about this right now.

The parents. Another thing that they did differently in this. Really I supported the parents. These were you know, these were my parents.

Like they My parents would have supported me in anything I wanted to do. They just wanted me to be interested and invested and passionate about something. They did not care. I could pick anything.

It could be art, it could be music, it could be writing.

It wouldn't have mattered. They would have been exactly there the way they were with the career that I did choose right behind me and anything they could do to help. These parents melt in my heart. My mom and dad them. I haven't appreciated them, probably as much as I can.

I'm sorry about any of.

The teenage years.

One of the first movies we've seen where both the parents are hugely supportive. They just were phenomenal. So he they say, go wrestle, We're with you. Whatever you want to do, go do.

My mom does push back a little bit, which I think little natural for any mom to not want their kids to go into a sport that possibly they could get hurt.

Yeah, wrestling, football, hockey, any of that's kind of cool, which apparently not going to say, let's talk about the safety issue. And that's totally.

Especially because he does have something that you could hold him back and possibly get him hurt.

Absolutely fair, very fair, totally.

With her on that Jason Fly join.

It turns out that coach I completely believes in them, and between the coach Mary Beth and Fly, his attitude starts getting a little bit better. He's one of the things they have him doing the entire time. He's constantly making fun of Utah. He doesn't understand what's going on.

And there's this great scene where he says to her, you know, says.

Something about what you know, I'm sick of being here. Nobody knows how to deal with me because I'm blind, and she's like, no one cares that you're blind.

You're a you are a complete a hole.

Yes, I mean that's but that's what she says, is.

That's what people don't like about you.

Yes, you're jerk, which.

Is really maybe jerk was the better word. I'm sure we'll bleep the one I said. But that's I mean, that's what but that's what happened. That's what I love about this is they that we don't care that you're blind.

You're making fun of us constantly for being Hicks, for being from cow Town, New York.

Is the best thing in the world. You came in with an attitude and we don't like it, and it made him completely changes and I loved that so that it was just her like, no, you're just being a jerk. Yeah it so yeah. So we we've got that whole kind of depth of character again with our lead. And there's so many things going on.

He's blind, he has moved, it's still the typical fish out of water store. There's so much going on in this movie that they did so well that man, I enjoyed every time I watch it.

Now, quick question for you, who's the better athlete in your opinion? Is it Johnny Tsunami? Is it Jace or was it Kyle from Luck of the Irish?

It's Nami. I mean, these questions are just ridiculous that you could ask anymore. Okay, I love way more. Well, Okay, but are you talking about again the difference of you could obviously tell Andy was the one doing all of the movement.

Right right, I think not even Andy Jase though I think they show him playing baseball, they show him playing basketball, they show him wrestling. I mean as an athlete, he's the better athlete, right, You just like snowboarding better?

Fair, Okay, I.

Think you're absolutely right with that. That that's fine with me.

The other thing I loved about this movie is he starts he's bad. He's not a good wrestler at the beginning, either here fly or it's not like I'm amazing.

I was ready for him to like go out there and like totally kill it right and and blow everyone out of the water and the coach to be flabbergasted. You know. I was really honestly ready for that, and it was like, oh, okay, they're not going that way.

He kept surprising me. Yes, me too. I loved it.

And I also loved how it then became Mary Beth who comes to him and essentially says, it's like a dance.

Your balance is wrong. You've got to and they have that great scene where she's got the stuffed kind of bear going around. You're the dancer, I'm not the dancer. Is is the dance stuff they're doing there is it Does it translate into wrestling.

I'm going to go into that during Sabrina ceas.

Okay good, stay tuned, okay tuned. So it works.

And meanwhile, it's also heating up their romance, which the two of them together are so freaking cute.

I don't know what to do with myself.

They're so rudeble we've seen there a couple, we've seen. What I also love is this is one of the first times of these movies where the girl love interest does not annoy the hell out of me, and I like loved her the whole time normally point and it again, nothing to do with the acting of the others. It was the storyline and the things they had the girls do that were so rude and awful. She has glorious moments over and over again throughout this whole movie.

Amazing, another wonderful character and Uh, you just you are rooting for them from the beginning. It's so great.

So her uh teaching action, he works, he finally wins. He's starting to turn things around. The team starting respect him, the captain of the wrestling team. UH is starting to kind of befriend him a little bit. And this is kind of like a drum Line thing. Remember in Drumline where they kind.

Of the the bad guy and the good guy they start to get together and work together and become just like this powerhouse. Yes, it's the same thing. So it turns out that the Captain John is failing Spanish and he needs some guessing what.

Jason He's there to help, which is a and his his mindset of where he is in this new place, and he offers, that's where tell me you started loving Jason?

Then I did? I did.

I loved just seeing the change all the way around that was going. We get to see watching him get bigger and bigger and bigger. The dislocating of the shoulder scene, uh was did you did you.

Cover your eyes during that?

I've seen that happen in real life and all I could still hear.

The sound locate their knee. I just recently had one last summer. It was the grossest thing I have ever went and I had to help her and calm her down, where in my mind my brain was itching because I wanted to freak out. It is so Also side note, as a small kid, my almost used to dislocate. Oh and my sisters eight years older than me. All her friends loved to grab me by my hands and swing me around and pop pop. They would come out and my dad had to put them back in.

Oh oh, okay yeah.

And then my partner Mark Ballas dislocated his arm while we were dancing on Dancing with the Stars right before the finale.

It was it's horrible.

Oh yeah, I can't, I can't, I can't, Okay, moving on.

Moving on.

I can hear the pops, I can hear. So to take a break, I had to take a break. I had to get some water.

Yeah, that's oh, I can't, I can't do it. So we get to we're building up. He's getting better with each match. We finally get to the regional championships where so we don't want to ruin a lot of the movie. We want people to go back and watch it, obviously, but through a series of events, he now has to wrestle against the state champion, who's got one of the again, one of the greatest Disney bad guy names ever. First of all, it's like they cast young Johnny from Karate Kid.

It's none of that. He just has to not get pinned himself, which made it very real, where it is not like this big trope at the end where all of a sudden you've got to beat Johnny or t Rex. In this case, you just have to survive the match against the stage. But it's made it so real. It was great.

But in a sense, I feel like if it were just running a circle.

I don't think you're allowed to do that. I think eventually the running in a circle, Sabrina, they're gonna call you out for I think I would try. Thought that would have been great. You would have run in the circle and then dislocated your elbow. Again, I don't think either of us know enough about the rules of wrestling, but I'm guessing that's not allowed about it because that.

Would be my first instinct though, just just run, just run now running roll roll. We're tuck and roll.

Tuck and Roll were you in though, did they have you with the fire match?

I was totally thinker the like I said, my favorite thing about sports movies is the intensity of whatever sport it is when it when the stakes are high, you feel it. I felt like again, And you know, I always tune into the music of stuff, like scores are just so important when it comes to these things. And the music was on. It was like nail biting, you know, it was. It was amazing.

I loved it, I'm saying. And so the movie ends. Again, we don't like to give too many things away, but let's just say it's a good ending.

Perfect, you know, the the ends with everybody's arm in the air. You love Jase, you love the journey he's taken the entire way there, you're with him the entire time, you're with all of his friends, you're with Fly, you're with Mary Best, the coach's parents. It was great character after great character, and then it ends with a rap song about rest.

I can't, dude, why don't you take the rap song?

I think you know, I honestly just can't.

Just I don't enjoy This is similar to when a random band, like when it's random, if it were I just didn't feel as if it was cohesive with it, even the music that we have been hearing that the music started with. I just didn't. I couldn't it the same as Luck of the Irish. Where the hell did this come from?

Why? Yeah, some of the lyrics. We've got to the mat, we attack and we'll never let up. You'd better get up and take one for the team or we'll get fed up. It's one for all.

The sun will shine for us, will run you over like a bus and will leave you in the dust.

And it goes from there. It's it did. It took took me out of a look because I was coming off of, like again, this Hoosiers kind of amazing end, and it ended with this song and it was a little oh so.

Not many things really, not many things in the negative category in this movie.

Literally not many things negative. And this is such a nip, but the final song was not.

I mean I would have had if I didn't, if we didn't do what we do with these movies, they would have just turned it.

Off and said, you know what, right, Yeah, I don't want to hear it.

But I was worried something would happen, would.

Sat for after the credits, just to see what was happening. Nice.

All right, Well, let's do some real reviews, and I'm gonna be totally honest.

It was very difficult to find a bad review for this movie.

I know, I very can imagine.

Because the movie was great. We could gush about, uh everything, the script and all that stuff. We have to touch a little bit more on the acting.

Andy Lawrence was so good in this movie that I thought he should have been nominated for something.

I don't know if you want.

What I'm saying. I was so disappointed to say that when we got it. I'm glad that they got the nominations that they did, but me, I feel as if he was robbed of not getting nominated in something. I think now in twenty twenty four, if a movie this good came out from the Channel, it would certainly get recognized.

Yeah, there was not a bad actor in this No Tire movie.

It goes to show you. I don't think the d coms get celebrated in the industry as much as they should.

No, I don't think the.

Shows the shows, do you know. I don't keep up on all the nominations, probably as much as I should, but in my opinion, they just don't get what they don't they They are these messages, the actors that they get to do these movies.

It's just it's it's it's it's it's sad to me.

No, but it man, this they were all just so good. I mean, Andy just knocked this out of the park. It was amazing. But why don't I do the five star this time? And you do the one stars? That fair? I think I've been doing Yeah, r So here we go. So this is a five star is from ce Marella.

I think that's how I'm think I'm saying that right, And it says, wow, this was actually a pretty good movie. I thought it just be some stupid movie, and after Pixel Perfect, I didn't have a lot of faith in it. Oh no, But Andrew Lawrence gives a realistic and praiseworthy performance, absolutely drew. Everyone in the cast is good as well, including Cleo Thomas, who sadly doesn't get enough screen time.

Also Drue. But nothing's perfect. I agree with everything that was just said there.

Yeah, and I yeah, you know, I I think you could maybe lay a little easy on Pixel Perfect there.

But that's okay, Yeah, that was It's kind of aless shot. That was kind of a needless shot.

But yeah, right, but we'll say yes, not needed to say. But at the same time, fine, uh the one star. Now, I'm just going to prep you. As I get through it, you start to see where this frustration comes from. Yeah, and you'll you'll you'll hear you do it, you do. Sarah says, I just couldn't get myself to like jas Okay, he's such an obnoxious character that I felt satisfied whenever someone would tell him off for being a jerk.

Okay, okay.

On top of that, here we go. I happened to be from Utah, and the movie's portrayal of the state is a little rude. No one here would think it's funny to bully a blind kid just for being blind, but they may get annoyed by repeatedly calling us hicks. Anyway, I can see why a lot of people might enjoy this, but it wasn't my cup of tea.

If you're from Utah, that's fair.

That would upset me, you know. We obviously here in Orange County there's a huge stereotype of what happens. Anytime anyone wants to bring up they talk about one show in particular, Real Housewives of Orange County.

Oh, I thought it was the OC. Isn't that another one? Yeah?

That was just a kid's show, My wife's Orange County, So I.

Guess yeah, there are few people like that, okay, but we are not all like.

Exactly No, so that's a fair I think the five star review is fought on, and I think if you're from Utah, the one star review was pretty fair enough. But that leads us to another wonderful thing. We've got another name battle, name battle, the name battle. So both Jason Fly are obviously great, but we've got to add t Rex Turner into the dcom Hall of Fame of names. Yes, so now we've got Yeah, I'm throwing these out. What

Like Jackal Johnson. I do think it's just it just rolls off the tongue fair enough.

I don't disagree. T Rex Turner or Chad Charming from The Rex Turner. Okay, t Rex Turner or O'Riley O'Reilly from Luck of the Irish it's like not even trying Irish, Oh, Irish guy, It's like, come on, it's so funny.

I like O'Riley.

Okay, Oh, this is a tough one for you because I know how you feel. T Rex Turner or Johnny Tsunami just skip it.

It's Johnny Tsunami, will or t Rex Turner or the legendary mister Fister from you, lucky dog.

I'm gonna say this out loud. Nothing will ever beat mister Fister for nothing, hands down. Oh my gosh, am like getting hot.

It's so funny, it's so I cannot believe that one got made, made the cut on the Disney Channel. I love it.

Can we do?

Sabrina sees yes, yes and again as we are talked about with finding a bad review. I really couldn't tear this movie apart. I know with it.

It was tough.

The dance slash Matt session, Yes, this confused me as all get out.

With the Big Dog the Teddy before.

I kept going, wait, is she so she is gonna give so this is dancing? No, no, no, it's not this is this is this is wrestling. No, it's dressing dancing again. Okay, now there's a dot, okay, and then finally was okay this. I was so confused if she was actually gonna start dancing, because then I started going I start almost positive to go back. Was I not paying attention? Is there a dance of some sort that he's going to that he wants he's asked her to

The right the skill involved.

In the actual all of it at all. It just completely confused me.

And then I started laughing at myself, and I was like, will is going to.

Like something.

Else?

Yes, I get it, but I was very confused for a minute. It was not so I didn't It didn't. I felt like the dancing was, you know what, she obviously isn't like some kind of dancer trying to do that nothing. It just I didn't understand her she was actually gonna teach him to dance or wrestle. I cause again I know nothing about wrestling, so I didn't know that this is a dance on the floor. I didn't know that. I didn't get it. Anyway. The next one was was soon after that with I just had to

Oh? She loved it? She was it? Not just amazing, such.

A great line, Yes.

Rooting for them all the way.

And then the next part. And I'd love to find out whether or not Wayne Brady, I don't know him as a musical person, if he was playing the drums that those the jam sessions.

Oh we're we're so good?

Yeah, so good, And I just I can't wait to find out. Hint, hint, if you.

Know what that part was like?

Yeah, I mean you.

Know, between them, I want to know more about it.

Those movies definitely, yeah, used music in a great way where all of a sudden it's a sports movie, but then occasionally there'd be a musical break that worked.

So then there's that's my last thing on my Sabrina Seas. I think I already know the answer, But will did it? Did you hate that? Because you don't normally like loved it just random music or musical.

It wasn't musical at all, but you loved it, Okay.

Used perfectly. I loved it. I'm in. I'm in only do music like that from now on.

Yes, But of course I thought of you. I'm like, I'm hoping, yep, Will is loving this because I am loving it. But I'm also feeling very emotional.

I loved it. I loved it. I was in I loved the music. They had me the entire time. This is this is by far my favorite d COM that we've watched to this point. So now we have to rate it? What do you?

One out of ten? One hundred and three pound freshman Wayne Brady riff offfs, I know, I'm sorry, I know the one I want to pick.

Did you do it? Then?

Okay?

I want to do because of the conversation we just had with your elbows, with Knews, with everything else.

I want to do one out of ten. Dislocated shoulders so good since they happened quite a bit, and I think they do.

They are very jazz bands.

Those are good too, but located shoulders go ahead. One out of ten.

I'm going to give it a ten. I'm jumping there. I'm jumping there.

I never thought I would give a d com a ten, And even if I said to myself, I was gonna wait and nine point five will be the highest I go, just in case there's one better down the line.

But this movie was so good.

Yeah that I'm still gonna say nine point five.

I'm gonna hold off on giving no way. I have to, I have.

Will You've got to be kidding me.

Have to give it a nine point five because I don't know if it ten exists.

There was a couple of tiny little nitpicky things, but I mean tiny little nitpicky things. But this movie was essentially a ten. But I'm holding off the ten because I don't know if anything's actually I'm going for it. But this movie was so good, a rightful Yeah, you're probably right, You're probably right, You're probably right.

I'm so in it. I'm I'm gonna watch this again again.

And it comes down to you. I can't believe that we hadn't heard of this because it was just this. Seems like this should have transcended a dcom and been released in a theater or something like we should have heard about this put on ABC, I mean something. Yeah, it was such a good movie.

That so good. I can't imagine you're doing a second one, right though, you know what I mean. There's no I didn't see where the storyline really could go.

No, it was perfectly encaplisulated so perfect.

I agree, it was so good. I agree, open middle, closing ten ten.

We did it ten across the board.

And the best acting we have seen so far from a cast in a d com by far. And that's not saying that the other actors were bad. Any other movies are bad. This just took it to a whole other level. Every single actor in this movie was great, from the lead in Andy to the bullies on the wrestling team, the quote unquote bullies on the wrestling team, people who had two.

Or three lines. Everybody, Yes, good in this movie.

Yes, even the kid who's Andy or Jase took his spot.

He was great.

He was a small character, but he had a great moment. They gave him a great moment.

You were It was well written, it was amazingly acted. Please, if you have not seen this, go out and watch Going to the Mat because it was awesome.

So thank you all for joining us for what is I in our opinion, I will say it's Sabrina, the best movie we've seen so far in the dcom world. It was wonderful, I will agree.

And the next movie we have I have not seen yet I know nothing about, but I've heard so much about so ah. The next movie is the incomparable nineteen eighty six Wonderful World of Disney.

Harry Creature masterpiece, fuzz Bucket. It is on Disney Plus, so make sure you watch it before next week.

But I don't know anything about this movie. Do you know anything about this movie?

Scared of it? I am? I don't know what this is gonna be about.

Kind of can't wait though, Yeah, for sure, but.

It's funny because I'm kind of nervous.

Oh, I am too, but I can't.

We're also coming off of our favorite d com so far, so to go from going to the Matt to Fuzzbucket, I don't know if this is gonna be a side step or we are going to be going way backwards, or if it's my first full ten I might be like, fuzz Bucket's the best movie I've ever seen in my life.

If you say fuzzbuck is the best movie I But we don't gotta be something that that happens. If this knocks us off of our feet, it's I I love it, But everyone that has told us about it really likes it.

Yes, so we're gonna have to check it out. And so are you again, Fuzzbucket. It is on Disney Plus, so go check it out before we're not next week, and remember to subscribe to our feed and you can always follow us at Magical rewind Pod on the Instagram Machine.

Thank you so much for joining us and we'll see you next time.

Bye bye