Tom's Top 3: October 8, 2024
Will Birria Heal My Broken Heart?
Hi everyone! Welcome to this week’s installment of Tom’s Top 3 Tuesdays, where I highlight three pieces of content (Podcasts/Shows/Songs/Articles/etc.) that I found interesting or noteworthy from the prior week.
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Let’s get into it.
[Podcast] Scriptnotes - Moneyball
October is here, and the MLB Playoffs are upon us. It’s my favorite time of the year, when my Dodgers will inevitably break my heart.
LoveBaseball is in the air, which makes this episode perfect. Scriptnotes is a wonderful podcast, and in this installment, the hosts are joined by Taffy Brodesser-Akner to dive into what makes Moneyball work.
Baseball is unlike any other sport, and the hosts discuss how its idiosyncrasies make it fertile ground for Hollywood. The suspense of the mano a mano face-off between hitter and pitcher has led to many memorable movie sequences (think The Natural).
With Moneyball, there isn’t a typical love story underpinning the plot. Instead, the love story is more around the budding relationship between the Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill characters. Or even, a love affair with baseball itself.
Moneyball is a classic underdog story, and I loved hearing the hosts dissect the script. A very enjoyable listen for anyone interested in film or baseball.
[Podcast] Seen on Screen - Bringing The Wild Robot to Life with Chris Sanders
Chris Sanders has worked on many of my favorite Disney films, from Aladdin to Lilo & Stitch. Most recently, Sanders directed the critically acclaimed The Wild Robot, which is in theaters now.
Sanders walks through some of the creative choices that he made in the film, from the animation style to voice actor intonation.
He also points out how he learned where to place music in films from Howard Ashman. When composing the music for Aladdin, Ashman told Sanders: “that’s easy, you put them at the story turns.”
I have been excited to see The Wild Robot for a while now, but after hearing this conversation, I have even more context on the movie and suspect I will enjoy it more.
[YouTube] Joshua Weissman - I Tried Every Food at Disneyland
Growing up in Los Angeles, I absolutely love going to Disneyland. Who doesn’t have fond memories of paying hundreds of dollars to spend hours waiting in line??? I jest… kinda.
Despite its wallet wasting properties, the food is always a highlight. Now I don’t have an advanced palate—just give me a plain churro (or seven), and I’m good. But the food is almost unrecognizable from when I was a kid.
Joshua is a trained chef, so I trust his judgement when reviewing the food around the two parks. I’m not going to try all of these options, but I will make sure to test out the Churro Toffee and Birria Grilled Cheese the next time I find myself on Main Street.
That wraps up this edition of Tom’s Top 3 Tuesdays. If you know anyone who would like this newsletter, please consider sharing. I’ll be back next week. ✌️