Bonus – Thirteen Lives
Dive into Ron Howard's Thirteen Lives with Popcorn Podcast, as Leigh and Tim discuss the Oscar-winner's dramatisation of the 2018 Thai Caves Rescue that prompted an international response to save 12 boys and their soccer coach trapped in a flooded cave network. The film, based on the incredible true story of survival, is led by Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell and Joel Egerton as volunteer rescuers who did the unthinkable and achieved the impossible. With fantastic documentary The Rescue already out there and a Thai-international limited series (Thai Cave Rescue) on the way, what does Howard's film add to the narrative? Listen to find out. Thirteen Lives is on Prime Video from August 5.
Listen to the full episode above and follow Popcorn Podcast on your preferred podcast platform for more. Find an edited excerpt of Popcorn Podcast’s Thirteen Lives episode below
THIRTEEN LIVES MOVIE REVIEW
Leigh: They actually weren't able to film very much of Thirteen Lives in Thailand due to COVID restrictions, sadly, but they really wanted it to be a co-production. It was filmed in Australia; a lot of it in Northern Queensland.
Tim: Another big Aussie production during the pandemic.
Leigh: I don't know about you, but in the very beginning I could tell immediately that it was an Australian soccer field the boys were playing on. Did you get that?
Tim: No. I didn't get that at all.
Leigh: Because you’ve got the single-brick clubhouse, the dried, dead-looking grass… I immediately was like, ‘Yep, that's Australia!’
Tim: My understanding was that they did capture some establishing shots of Thailand in the village. I found that to be a nice marriage of filming in Australia and in Thailand. I mean, I didn't have that disconnect of noticing it looks like an Aussie soccer field or football field, if you will… that's the opening shot to the movie!
