Valhalla Rising (& Gravity review) (Welcome To The Basement)

[@drdement1]

One-Eye is Odin (he put one eye in a pond of wisdom to see all), who is the all-father of nordic mytology and also a god of death. He joins the christians, just as the viking used to slowly merge the old ways and the christian traditions (think christmass, a former pagan celebration now celebrating the birth of Jesus). As they travel through the mist, it becomes more and more clear that one-eye is a foreign element, and the christians become more and more scared/angry with him. As they try to "claim the land in the name of god", they eventually end in a struggle with them selves and the natives (the crusades leading to internal strife and war wigth everyone else), that only leads to death and destuction for all. One-eye has to sacrifice himself for the boy, who is the hope and humanity, so that he may survive, and he (who is now a remnant of the old ways) is taken away by the natives - who are basicly nature and the way of things and time. They catch up to everyone, and they really have no face (they all look alike) and no voice. So the old religion dies and give way to new things. The only thing that survives is a small glimmer of hope and humanity (the boy). Anyway, thats my thoughts on the movie. Also, it typical Refn, with the long quiet shots, the vague and suggested themes. As for movies I hate: Skyline. Worst crap I've ever seen.

[@blamesocietyfilms]

Good analysis. We did briefly discuss the ocular similarities between One-Eye and Odin, but it got cut (no pun intended).

[@whiplashfilms]

That said... Craig's Shai Labeouf meltdown was epic.

[@daniel787]

19:56

[@RedStrayHound]

That rant was amazing. Thank you Craig.

[@claytoncondo3460]

RedStrayHound 100% right man .

[@CerberusLives]

Finally, someone whose hatred of Shia LaBeouf matches my own. His popularity is utterly inexplicable to my mind, just the sight of his vacant, rodent face is enough to make me grit my teeth in frustration.

[@beareggers]

It might be worth mentioning that the chief god in Nordic paganism, Odin, is often easily recognized by having only one eye. Which adds a lot to the question of One-Eye's connection to the supernatural.

[@jaomello]

That is a very valid point.

[@KevinLieber]

Welcome to the Basement continues to be my favorite show on KZbin.

[@kualajdm]

I watched this movie a couple of months after it's release and I enjoyed the cinematography and the overall vibe of the film. I love Mads Mikkelson's titles and this proves that he can play literally any role. I felt like he still had a voice but only through his eyes, you could feel what he was saying.

[@BlaiddDrwg896]

I absolutely love Craig's reaction to Shia LeBouf. I feel exactly the same way about him. I hated that he was in Indiana Jones. The vitriol and energy of your rant perfectly captures my feelings.

[@TheAtari7800Junkie]

In addition to the Welcome to the Basement Hall of Fame, you guys should have a Hall of Shame with the actors you guys don't like, starting with Shia LaBouf

[@askorath]

Haha Craig should rage more often, that was glorious.

[@racheluncles8790]

Greatest rant I've ever seen

[@TheMattwolf]

The wife and I watched Valhalla Rising a few years ago. We both found it to be a powerful and deep film that kept us talking and thinking for quite a while. We didn't come up with any firm answers either, but sometimes the journey doesn't really need a destination to be life changing.

[@NickAndWolf]

Did you see a piece of Craig die when Indy 4 was mentioned? 20:00

[@csmith3788]

I really loved seeing the Lou Reed "Rock N Roll Animal" record in the background. It jumped out at me every time it was on screen. Great episode.

[@pattimus]

Looking good, Mr. Sloan :) Holy bananas, I loved the pants off of Craig's epic Shia LaBeouf rant....which is potentially awkward as rants don't typically wear pants.... Such a magnificent eruption of anger, absolute GOLD :) Thank you for another wonderful episode guys :) *too many smiley faces in this comment

[@Kinetikai]

Wow, I want to see more raging Craig. That LeBouf rant was awesome.

[@dresden51]

Firstly, Craig your rant struck a cord of empathy and hilarity with me. As for the Hall of Fame inductee, I wish to nominate 'The Silence' as a driving theme in The Magician and for its roll in Valhalla Rising whenever someone asks One-Eye about anything.

[@EchoesOfAncients]

I gotta say I was a bit shocked that Dr. Horrible didn't make the list, but Craig's LeBeouf rant was fried gold. I think he speaks for us all.

[@EchoesOfAncients]

Mr.Appleranch On the contrary, I don't hate it because of the film. I hate it because every time I tried to watch it with a group of people they had every single line of dialogue burned into their brains that I couldn't hear the actual movie over people spouting out every word like it was the Rocky Horror Picture Show. I know it has "Sing-A-Long" in the title, but apparently it's a "Talk-A-Long" too.

[@DantarBlade]

I wish I could like this more than once for Craig's outburst!

[@MooCartoon]

YAAAY! Shout out to Halifax, Nova Scotia!! Also, loved Craig's rant there. Twas brilliant to watch.

[@Shmandalf]

I don't really like Shia either, but to be fair he was pretty good in Fury.

[@klous999]

Craig exploded in this! So fun to watch his reaction to Shia.

[@Mr.Goodkat]

10 seconds into the video Craig says there's no gravity in space, this is incorrect gravity is everywhere, even in space anything that has mass generates gravity, though the gravitational pull weakens with distance from earth, it's never truly zero. When astronauts are orbiting earth they are actually falling sideways while also falling towards the earth, this is what creates an orbit and generates the feeling of weightlessness.

[@Sabretoothsquirrel]

I saw Valhalla Rising at a film festival in Gothenburg, Sweden early in 2010 when the movie had just come out. I didn't care much for the movie itself but afterwards Mads Mikkelsen was there to answer the audiences questions wich was very interesting. He said that the biggest challenge for him playing One-Eye was to keep that completely indifferent face all the time. To not act out the different emotion or moods that he felt the character ought to feel.

[@nachofantastico]

Nice ranting about Indy IV and Shia LaBeouf ;D really enjoyable stuff

[@thebatzinator]

Have you seen Lady Hawk?? It's one of my favs.

[@MrTomkinz]

Holy crap! I never thought they'd read one of my comments on the show. My week has been made.

[@puppysect]

Holy crap, Craig is unlocking his SCANNER-talents!

[@kennylamorena6339]

I WANT MY OPERA HOUSE!!

[@jeweldon212]

It is so cool that you reviewed Valhalla Rising, and great job as always!! I felt that the storytellers had a great idea to bring a mystical/fantasized rendition of the real life story of the Norse discovery of the new world (discovered by the Christian Viking Leif Ericsson). I love that they took a creative approach to this often forgotten subject. Also, I made the association of adventurous pagan Norse warriors in their violent quest for Valhalla (where the toughest Norse warriors go if they die on the battlefield) with the bravest and staunchest of Christian crusaders in their quest for eternal salvation, and how their pursuits seem to lead to the same end result: Death by the sword (or Native American stone tools in this case).

[@DaThingOnTheDoorstep]

Craig's rage (Craige?) had me cracking.

[@LobsterSpecial]

I like that Craig is psychic, but only in the basement.

[@bizzee1]

Nerdlinger objection: 00:08 "... and being of course, there is no gravity in space,..." Craig Johnson- 2013. There most certainly is gravity in space because orbiting a planet or sun is, in fact, falling around them (adjusts taped-up eye-ware in triumph).

[@rrrrjubilee]

Like Craig, my late father-in-law loved time travel romances. One of his favorites was Happy Accidents - seen it? It's kind of goofy, but funny and sweet, and stars one of my own acting crushes, Vincent D'Onofrio.

[@smacksalad]

I love the way you guys talk about films and I'm going to tell the Twitters!

[@Tree_Dee]

Bless you Craig.

[@somecathchick]

I think Indy 4 was a victim of what I've dubbed "Darby's Law", which I derived from the movie "Darby O'Gill and the Little People". In the movie, whenever someone went beyond the traditional 3 wishes and made a fourth wish, they lost everything they'd previously wished for as punishment for their greed. Therefore, "Darby's Law" is when a franchise goes beyond a trilogy and makes a fourth installment that subsequently tanks and ruins or outright destroys any good reputation it might have had before the fourth installment was made.

[@iamthechanceman]

Applies to everything I can think of except Shrek.

[@CounterNerd]

I agree with you guys on the Lady Killers remake. The original was gold to me personally. Probably my favorite "old" movie. If that's a category. Love this show, you guys really make the two person discussions work, and you keep it interesting! That's entertaining talent for ya!

[@obviouslylee]

I agree with Craig about the tension of 'Gravity'! I kept noticing that I was clenching and had to force myself to relax. Seen it? Any of Andrew Dominik's films? "Chopper" "The Assassination of Jesse James" "Killing me Softly" ? I dug them.

[@Hraefncin]

I can say, I honestly don't know what to think of this movie--I *think* I love it, in the sense that it's the kind of movie you watch once a decade and still don't understand. While I totally get anyone who doesn't like it, I respect it as a work of art and, as Craig said, I will always remember it.

[@VonPunk]

Glad you guys liked it, I'm a fan of Refn & Mads but I didn't watch this until I'd heard enough hate for it to last a lifetime, so I got it put on and enjoyed it alot, the Part in the mist I love the most, since I have a odd real life love of being surrounded by mist. I also love Silent Hill & The Mist for their mist based shenanigans too. ;)

[@SugarcatPlays]

Awesome mention of my hometown Halifax! :) Keep up the good work guys

[@CameronMcDermottEsquire]

I don't think you guys have done this on Seen It, so I'd love to know what you thought about Only God Forgives. Craig looked like he was excited when it was mentioned in this ep. I loved the crap out of it, but critics destroyed it, but I put a lot more stock in what you guys think, so it'd be great to hear your thoughts!

[@bvanbove]

If this is indeed his "favorite" film, I'd have to say I agree. Don't remember how I first came across it but I watched it with a few of my buddies and (not surprisingly) I was the only one that liked it. It's intense, dark, and a great performance by an actor who doesn't say a single word.

[@nintendolunchbox]

You hit the nail in the damn head with your comments about Gravity!

[@jordanromaker]

I just saw Midnight In Paris for the first time and really enjoyed it, but the one thing that I hated about it purely on the grounds that it made no sense was that Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams are together at all. We're supposed to believe he loves her, yet she's portrayed as having no redeeming qualities whatsoever other than being gorgeous to look at, and we know that Owen Wilson's character isn't that shallow, so it seemed to be a bit of a stretch and clearly was just stuck in the script for the sake of the plot without having much thought put into it. I just accepted it and was able to appreciate everything else the film had to offer. I actually really liked Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull. Most people I've talked to about it said they hated it because of how silly and unbelievable and crazy and over the top it all was, but that's precisely why I liked it so much. It was so much fun to watch. Admittedly, it is the type of movie you should probably turn your brain off before viewing, but you'll get more out of it that way I feel. If that's your thing. And granted, Shia LaBeouf was horrible, but again, I just did my best to ignore it. I'm also always surprised to hear how much people had a problem with the ending; as though it's any less plausible than the ending to any other Indy flick :P

[@NeuJoi]

That rant was awesome :) i agree with you Craig! completely!

[@brpierce]

I'd like to plug another Ed Harris film for your consideration, gentlemen--George Romero's Knightriders. It was actually his first major film role, and I think it's an overlooked gem in Romero's portfolio.

[@miserableoutcast]

I watched this movie a while ago and it confused the hell out of me,but stuck with me.Thanks for the insights guys,they helped me interpret it!

[@TylerDaltonShaw]

Wow, Craig got real with that rant on Shia, totally agree haha

[@Viciousswarm88]

I think that the crusaders showed that embracing the new doesn't always improve the world. And the child represents the choices mankind will have to make in the future.

[@EastCoastHost]

YAY FOR MENTIONING HALIFAX NOVA SCOTIA!! :D

[@tazmon122]

at first i was not cool wit Shia cuz outside of Holes he kept getting cast as an action star. ...then he snapped and now i fuckin love the dude cuz like Miley Cyrus he's taking a stand and screaming from the rooftops that what he does isn't just a job, it's art. sure the art might not be that good, but the fackt that they are standing up for their integrity is amazing! also that Sia video was so beautiful. he's slowly cultivating his vision to be a little more than just using his celebrity status to push shitty art. i think your faith in Shia might shine if he worked with someone like Charlie Kaufman, or Jim Jarmucsh. even Wes Anderson could pull an amazing (but small) performance out of him.

[@aimlesscorsair6502]

Craig, your rant was beautiful. More please. Regarding the 4th Indiana Jones film, I, like anyone else with half-a-brain, would have preferred them to leave the trilogy alone, but I don't hate it at the beginning, it's not great but not terrible, but as soon as they get into the jungle everything gets dull. LaBeouf is annoying, the plot makes little to no sense and most of all I don't feel that threatened by the villains. Maybe it's because I didn't grow up during the cold war and the filmmakers did. The main reason I hate this movie is simply because the only reason it was made is because it would make a lot of money at the box-office, regardless of how terrible it may be. This seems to be the name of the game in mainstream cinema these days, a tragedy that film lovers like us must continue to mourn. This show is 'amazing', a true 'gem'.

[@krogan52]

Even though the director muddies the waters with religious symbolism, I see Valhalla Rising as a redemption story. The chained animal (One Eye) ends up making the most heartfelt human sacrifice to save a child. While all the other characters have their motives for the things they do, One Eye just survives, until he makes the ultimate sacrifice. I love the beginning of Valhalla Rising and Mads is such a bad ass. The 2nd half does trail off into a only partial coherent fever dream.

[@SusanMiles]

excellent show, gentlemen. i really liked valhalla rising (think i even asked about it for seen it), glad y'all took it on. also, craig-rage, wow! keep up the good work. :D

[@gravityvertigo13579]

For the benefit of interested viewers; Valhalla Rising is on Netflix right now, as is Morvern Callar!

[@illustriouschin]

thanks buddy.

[@Samathor]

This is the first time you watched a movie I've already seen. I loved your analysis. It always seemed to me a dark and gritty retelling of the viking discovery of the new world which we know from history. Much like Mel Gibson's apocalypto. however in this case it's a commentary on the way we tell history and how the past is what it is, and things were much simpler, quieter and more beautiful and deadly than we can imagine. And your right, this movie grows on you with time, i watched it when it came out and it took me a long time to figure out what it meant to me. Keep it up guys, been with you from the 1st episode!

[@EddieFreeze1]

This episode reminded me of a movie I saw about 10 years ago, Dead Man with Johnny Depp. Very little recognized film, set in the old west, about a man who is accused of murder and gets shot in the first five minutes. He then meets a native American who guides him through the wilderness and his own mortality. The opening features a very intense dialogue with Crispin Glover. Would really like to hear your take on this film.

[@starwarsfreak1111]

Losing tons and tons of of weight Matt! Keep going!

[@pettermg]

Can't watch the vid, says an error occurred Anyone else having the same problem, or is something wrong on my part?

[@Blueshirt38]

I was the 11,111th viewer. That isn't special, or extraordinary in any way, I just like numbers, and that made me kinda happy.

[@thorigrimm]

I'm with you 100% Craig, about Shia. I thoroughly cannot enjoy the Transformer movies because of him. : (

[@JohnnysourDemise]

that actually was a decent impression of him lol

[@GrimGearheart]

I think One-Eye was an incarnation of Odin. Odin has one eye. He sacrificed his eye for the Wisdom of the Ages. One-Eye seemed very wise, and had visions of the future. Plus there's the title of the film, "Valhalla Rising". Valhalla being the place where warriors go after dying in battle.

[@quizlixx]

Fun fact, Valhalla Rising was originally supposed to end with aliens

[@sarasak86]

I love these shows so much!

[@kalewatson3562]

Wow this is the funniest damn summary of this movie

[@KingPrintmaker]

I was watching funhaus and adam kovic mentioned Valhalla Rising and then this episode ends up in my recommendations. Damn that youtube algorithm is getting good

[@GreenbeanFloyd]

Odin in Norse paganism has one eye. He is known as the "one-eyed wanderer"

[@LaughingOwlKiller]

good call

[@wmckin11]

I really hate the Nightmare Before Christmas. I know lots of people love it, but I just don't see why!

[@VeraReduxion]

Oh, btw Craig, Shia is going to be in a movie with Mikkelson. I think it's called The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman (where Shia gets beat up by Mads).

[@stuartpe-win2757]

Saw this in an auditorium full of babies with my own newborn. The lack of sleep and burdened with my nappy bag, it made for a very tense viewing.

[@prowokator]

Brilliant episode, been planning on watching that Valhalla Rising thing, I wonder if my Scandinavian brain gets it somehow differently.

[@nothankyou7775]

The holidays are quickly approaching, so I think you should watch A Christmas Tale with Catherine Deneuve. Though it is no Beethoven's Christmas Adventure, it is certainly worth a viewing

[@8797mppau]

Watch the hannibal tv show. Mads is amazing on that show youll love it!!

[@tapedecksoundtrack]

Shia LeBouf was also in The Greatest Game Ever Played which was a pretty good movie. I really enjoyed the reaction to him though!

[@ClickingPixels]

I loved this movie so much when it came out, this is real stuff rofl

[@shirokumak]

The Shia Leboeuf (sp) rant is still just so beautiful.

[@gentleargiope]

And thanks for the Lou Reed tribute, Matt. xo

[@danielbillington7993]

Totally agree with Matt about Garden State.

[@atvats]

Have you guys seen Mindjackers? That's a movie which is full of tension! The cast I think didn't have any popular people in it but they still acted perfectly! This movie is overloaded with plot twists, it had a sequence where the person you thought was the villain kept swapping back and forth for a while.The writing was pretty decent had a Saw like feel to it only with having Jigsaw being among the victims. P.S. The movie is very violent!

[@criticviking]

Id say that Phillip Burthem should come up on hall of Fame founder of the jomsviking system also been a fighting director and also been in documentaries. He passed away last year sadly. He was a huge role model for me and i by many Miss him he was truely one of the best persons i ever meet. I meet him the year before he passed away. He still is a role model for me and he became sadly not as famous as he should been but every viking reenactor know who he is and all that meet him will never forget him.

[@cJw314]

Saw Gravity this wknd, somewhat as a result of your review, and it /was/ impressive. Sandra Bullock took her time a little too much, which made it feel draggy at points, but overall, +1, would see again. ; ) Thanks for your "work", gentlemen!

[@BlackCowBoy]

Have you see "Alter Ego"? New Indie movie that has all the elements that I love about movies. One location, Superheroes and Comedy...

[@andgalactus1]

Ah you guys jinxed me, just got in a fight in a mudpit.

[@NapiurPictures]

Matt, I love your show, if you really want to see Mads Mikkelsen as a great actor, check out "Adam's Apples". It's a danish movie, I really enjoyed it. By the way, Valhalla Rising is a movie I really liked and I loved your review of it, totally changed the way of how I saw the movie. Keep doing this!

[@ericfalkenham7366]

Wow, when you said Halifax N.S. Craig I freaked. I live super close to there xD

[@youtubepeace]

although they aren't exactly greek, perhaps there exists a nordic or scandanavian version of charon, a "ferryman" of hades in greek mythology, who could have been the dark, reaper like figure on the boat, who would have taken them through time/space and dropped them in the new lands.

[@coneywilliam]

You should watch the movie "The Taking of Pelham 123", the 1974 thriller. While it isn't the greatest of films, it keeps you along for the entire ride, and the bombastic soundtrack is very good.

[@the-four-seven]

Just wanted to say I love the show, and I look forward to seeing it every time a new episode appears. You two are a great team; dare I say, like a modern Siskel & Ebert? Or Ebert & Roeper if you prefer? I know you've already shot the next episode so you'll have moved on from the topic of "our most hated movies," but hey, what else is a comments section for if not to discuss? Growing up watching Mystery Science Theater 3000 has sort of built up an immunity to bad cinema in me, or has at least given me the ability to make bad movies tolerable by having fun with how bad they are. But one movie proved impervious to any of my attempts to make it fun, and that movie was Rob Zombie's Halloween remake. It takes away the mystery and menace of Michael Myers by turning the one scene where he's a child in the original into half the damn movie, and the entire thing is filled with people you don't give a damn about because they're all awful, amoral human garbage. By the end, it's devolved into a lot of running around and high-pitched screaming so irritating I actually yelled out loud at the movie to just shut up and _end_, already. I was in such a bad mood after seeing it that I avoided watching movies for a while. I realize that there are far, far worse films out there, like Salò, A Serbian Film, Cannibal Holocaust, and others, but since I've heard, read, and seen enough about those movies, I know to avoid seeing them in the first place. I didn't have that luxury with Halloween so it just sticks out as worse to me.

[@MADsammy100]

Have you guys seen "12 Years A Slave"? I thought it was a powerful movie. It brought me to tears.

[@Graehaus]

I live in Halifax, NS and we have no Ren faires here, dang it.

[@wehavemagnums]

Great Mads impression, Matt!

[@teriscallon]

always enjoy your commentary and I guess I will go see "Gravity"

[@iyona14granturismogt6gtspo7]

excellent Mads Mikkelson impression Matt....

[@HitchcockJohn]

How about the artificially intelligent bomb or the Beach Ball alien from 'Dark Star' for the Hall of Fame?

[@mustang6172]

One Eye sounds like a Messianic figure. He shepherds people through Hell, then lays down his life to save another. He gets betrayed along the way.

[@zencowboy27]

Oh! You like Indies? American Strays. It's a who's who of who's that and has beens. I would love to hear your analysis.

[@loganmilway4162]

Craig, I completely agree with your rant about Shia Labeouf. He is completely unlikable in every role he has played after Holes, but what I can't stand the most is the way his characters stutter. I have no problem with stuttering if it is done right, but Labeouf's stuttering feels like I'm listing to Jimmy Stewart if Jimmy Stewart was stupid.

[@TheWayoftheSith]

you guys should watch Vikings (tv series) and Erik the Viking. That is some great A stuff!

[@EchoesOfAncients]

I really enjoyed Vikings. Gabriel Byrne and Donal Logue were great in it.