Best Movies of 2026...So far

The year is halfway over, so Ricky and Brandon debate the best movies so far. Also, should rankings be based on the year a movie mass releases or when it debuts?

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:05

Please grab your popcorn, candy, and large soda, because it's time for a mostly film podcast.

SPEAKER_02 0:20

Hello, hello, and welcome to another episode of a Mostly Film Podcast. We are the critics of quality, the arbiters of art, the judges of judgment. My name is Brandon, and with me as always is Ricky. Ricky, how are you today?

SPEAKER_04 0:39

I'm doing pretty well. How are you?

SPEAKER_02 0:42

I'm doing quite well. I I hope you're impressed with my judges of judgment.

SPEAKER_04 0:46

Oh yeah, that that was like that might be my favorite one you've ever done.

SPEAKER_02 0:50

Yeah, I think it took a lot of effort, took a lot of brain power.

SPEAKER_04 0:54

Never gonna top that one.

SPEAKER_02 0:57

Welcome to the final episode. Ricky, we are in the middle of 2026. Do you know what that means? Nope. Neither do I. Let's talk about the best movie so far of 2026.

SPEAKER_04 1:11

Alright, if we must.

SPEAKER_02 1:14

Ricky, I want to actually start off with something first because you and I kind of consider uh what year a movie came out slightly differently. And I'm curious how you will do that here, how I will uh do that here with our rankings and discussions. So my take is if the movie was widely released in 2026. So for example, if a movie maybe premiered at a film festival in October or November or December for just like a day or two in 2025, to me it's still a 2026 movie because it actually got released. Is that your definition?

SPEAKER_04 1:52

I I'm different because I go off like the festival, because I mean it's you know, it's not a wide release, but it's like it is possible. And like when you look on like the websites and everything, it's like given like you know, that release year. Um, but it's like so the only thing is like on my year-end, like I don't put it on like my year-end list, but it's like for the sake of like especially like today's episode, like there's one film in part particular that I definitely want to talk about.

SPEAKER_02 2:29

Okay, I've I was curious because it's probably the same movie I have pretty high on my list, and I'm sure that most of America has on their list. Yeah. So I was curious if it was gonna be left out because you were gonna go, no, it's 2025, it doesn't count.

SPEAKER_04 2:41

No, and I know I'm like in the minority too there, cause like, you know, when you look at a lot of people's like year-end lists, you know, they go off like the wide release and everything, and it's like, yeah, that is just something that I do like personally.

SPEAKER_02 2:56

No, I I I get that, because when I was actually trying to watch a bunch of movies from 2026, there's like a whole Wikipedia page where you can see like movies of 2026 in the United States, and there were some that were like, if you looked at them closely, it would even say things like, This movie was technically premiered in 2024, but it got its release in 2020. It's like, well, does that that feels a little wrong if it's that far? But yeah, I I'm kind of fickle with it. I typically give the benefit of the doubt of if it has that wide release, then that's where I more or less consider the year. And then when I go back, maybe in five years from now, when I start ranking my 2025 movies or 2026 movies, I'll go by the parentheses by IMDB.

SPEAKER_04 3:35

Right, yeah, like like the longer we get away from it, like looking back, it's like that's where you definitely like probably pull from.

SPEAKER_02 3:43

Yeah. I'm excited about this because when I was making my rankings from the movies that I've seen this year, I can tell already that they're gonna change dramatically by the end of the year.

SPEAKER_04 3:57

One thing I wanted to like talk about is like I don't know if like people like realize this, but it's um you know, usually like the start of the year is pretty quiet for like releases. It's like and like the studios usually do that, you know, on on purpose, and like especially like for for the Oscars. Um I don't know if it's always been this way, but it has been for a long time. It's like they push those, like, you know, so so-called Oscar movies to the end because they worry that the people who vote on them won't re remember oh yeah, you know, the films from the beginning, and that's kind of been true throughout the years. Now, last year was cool because Sinners came out in like April, I believe.

SPEAKER_02 4:52

Yeah, in my mind it was like February or March for some reason, like it was early for sure.

SPEAKER_04 4:57

And like I have a feeling that the studios didn't realize how huge that was going to be. I mean, you know, it made tons of money, and like it also like you know got all the Oscar love, which was awesome. But even then, people were like, I don't know, can this do it because it came out so early in the year? And that does bum me out, you know. It's like because it's like there's some great performances, and there actually might might be some from a movie we're gonna talk about.

SPEAKER_02 5:29

Yeah, we have to sit we are on the same thought. I'm looking at my list right now, and I can't imagine anything on my list currently is gonna be a lot of Oscar love. Maybe a couple like sound nominations just to be like, hey, you made money and you were liked. So we're gonna give you this.

SPEAKER_04 5:46

I have one big one that could possibly, but that's like it might be the same one I'm thinking of that I could think of.

SPEAKER_02 5:53

Well then we can get started. Ricky, I want to start with how many movies have you seen of 2026?

SPEAKER_04 5:59

Um, so far, like that that have, you know, 2026 attached to them. I've seen 15.

SPEAKER_02 6:05

15. And then in addition to those that maybe were 2025-ish adjacent.

SPEAKER_04 6:10

Uh just like a few more. Just a few. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 6:13

Yeah, I think that's roughly where I am. I I've seen 18 movies total that I would consider 2026, and then four of them are theoretically 2025 releases that got the big release in 2026. Um, you can either start in any order you want. You can start in your top 10, you can start up in your bottom and just kinda talk about whatever. You go ahead, I'll give you the floor.

SPEAKER_04 6:36

I actually want you to go first. I want to hear what you like wanna talk about starting off.

SPEAKER_02 6:43

I'll I'll start with some of my bottom ones just because I've actually spoken about them to some degree in the past, so we won't be able to we don't need to dwell on them too much. Uh currently my least favorite movie is uh a video game film called Mortuary Assistant. It was a horror film, and it does an okay job actually being video game representation. Like they they have really cool set design that you go, that is the video game room, but it just wasn't that appealing of a film. It it really wasn't scary, which was surprising because the whole movie takes place in a morgue and it's about demons, so it's kind of hard to you know fumble that, but they really made some questionable choices. Maybe we'll talk about it in a future episode. I think we've already teased we want to talk video games at some point.

SPEAKER_04 7:27

Yeah, when when you told me about it, because I had like hadn't heard of it. I thought it sounded interesting, but you were like, yeah. Cause I was like, was it good? You were like, Nope.

SPEAKER_02 7:38

Yeah, it it really wasn't. I was kind of bummed, and I wasn't expecting it to be a masterpiece, but you know, it is what it is. Uh then my next few, uh 17, no surprise, Michael. I've spoken at length on this podcast about how it's just the most generic, um, you know, fluff piece. There's it is the most toothless movie you'll ever see, you know. Just just that's what it is, just toothless. Uh 16, I put Super Mario Galaxy movie. Uh it's beautiful, it looks gorgeous, and there's a lot of fan service. There is not a plot in that movie, which is insane to me. They forgot to write a plot in that movie. Have you seen that one? Did you see that?

SPEAKER_04 8:19

No, I saw the uh first one. So did you like was the first one like substantially better than than this one?

SPEAKER_02 8:28

I mean, I wasn't even that crazy about the first one either. I think I probably gave it a five on IMDB and Mario Galaxy movie, I think I give like a four just because there was no plot. There are some cool like reveals that you're like, oh yay, if you're just a Nintendo nerd, you know, you'll just see it's a lot of, oh I recognize that. It's it's basically a buzzfeed list, the movie. You know, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_01 8:52

Like 25 Mario characters you forgot about, and you're like, I remember Mauser. That's cool. Like that's that's just like walking by, hey guys, oh dairy.

SPEAKER_02 9:02

I mean, no, no joke, that kind of is like there are moments where it's just like a bad guy from like Super Mario Bros. 2 just kind of walks by the screen, and you're like, that's so cool. That's from a game no one thinks about. What a great movie. More popcorn and piss, please. You know. Uh 15. I put Scream 7. Again, we've talked about it. It's one of my least favorites. We had a whole Scream episode. Feel free to go back and listen to that one. Uh so weirdly enough, that was one of our highest performing episodes. People liked that one quite a bit. Yeah, it was a big one. Uh, and then this is my first uh 2025-ish movie, and it was Night Patrol. Uh, I don't think this is really a super known film. I and I know we've spoken about it off mic. Did you ever actually finish it or watch it yet?

SPEAKER_04 9:49

No, I I think I just knew about it because like, you know, I follow wrestling and CM Punk was in it, so I've like kind of like, oh, he's like doing something else. And um, the whole premise is like interesting, and I'm a huge rap fan, so it's got a bunch of rappers in it. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 10:08

No, it's it's one of the weirdest casts. And here's the thing: as I was watching it, I wasn't crazy about it. And for those who don't know, it's it's kind of like a gang movie, but then it's also like a horror/slash like vampire-ish movie. Like it's kind of trying to balance it all. And in the moment I wasn't really crazy about it, but I haven't necessarily stopped thinking about it. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_01 10:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 10:33

It's it's it really is like the the rash on your lower back where you're like, oh, it's not affecting me, but like it is there. It's still there. I should really pay a bit more attention to it. So I might actually go back and watch that one just to see if it raises a bit. Um, but before I go any further, those are my bottom five in just kind of a nutshell. Nothing I I want to say too much about them, just because we've already spoken at length. So, Ricky, if you want to talk about some of yours, and then we'll hop back to my list.

SPEAKER_04 11:00

Yeah, um, so my my lowest is uh Jack Ryan Ghost War. And um this really bummed me out because like I I loved the uh Jack Ryan TV series. Like, I think it had like three seasons, but it was like r really good. Um and like so so they uh did this movie now, you know, based off that. And it's just like so formulaic and it just like it it doesn't matter. It's just you you don't really care about it like at all. Like like it just it has like no reason really to to exist. Like like it doesn't like do anything.

SPEAKER_02 11:44

Am I crazy or wasn't wasn't there like a wasn't Tom Cruise Jack Ryan at one point, or was it always has it always been John Krasinski?

SPEAKER_04 11:52

Uh so Chris Pine was Jack Ryan. Thank you, that's what I'm thinking of. Yeah. And uh Tom Cruise was Jack Reacher being before. Which is a very common mistake getting th those two confused.

SPEAKER_01 12:09

But uh we need a Jack R film. Don't worry about it covered.

SPEAKER_04 12:14

But but yeah, it was just it it was such a bummer. Um and then my my next up is Scream 7.

SPEAKER_01 12:24

Yeah, that's fair.

SPEAKER_04 12:25

Yeah, just yeah, like like I still found things in it to to enjoy, but it's like it's you know, it's one of the the worst of this series for for sure.

SPEAKER_02 12:37

Oh, for sure.

SPEAKER_04 12:38

Um next up is the the Rip, which was uh it was a Netflix film that uh came out a couple months ago. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck play play cops.

SPEAKER_02 12:51

Yes, that's right.

SPEAKER_04 12:52

And I enjoy the uh cast, it's just um the story's kinda uh you know, it's um there's like corruption in the police force, of course. Of course. You know, like trying to figure out who the real bad guy is. Um yeah, it's just it's fine.

SPEAKER_02 13:14

Yeah. Just nothing really to nothing really to say about it, I guess. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 13:17

I've my uh my next up is scary movie, which I enjoyed a ton more than I thought I would.

SPEAKER_02 13:24

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 13:25

So it's it's you wouldn't even say it's a bad film, it's just lower just because we're crossing into the threshold of like, alright, these are pretty good now. Yeah, like like most of the films I've seen, like like haven't really been bad, like like Jet Jack Ryan was like, you know, the one where I'm like, uh, you know, but um but yeah, scare scary movie, like I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. They they they stuck true to like be a first two. There were a lot of jokes where I was like, oh damn, they're like still doing this. They're still switching an age, like they don't care. Um but yeah, it was very silly, very stupid.

SPEAKER_02 14:03

Um did you see it in theaters or did you see it like uh you know at home?

SPEAKER_04 14:09

No, no, I saw it at uh home. And um, yeah, like like it was uh quite quite enjoyable.

SPEAKER_02 14:18

That's very funny.

SPEAKER_04 14:20

And then my uh last one here is Apex, which is Yes. Is it's a crocodile film, right? Or alligator. No. No. So this one is a Netflix film with uh Charlie's Theron and uh Taryn Edgerton. And um Charlie's is like this adrenaline junkie, and like she's like, you know, the opening. Like this is kind of a spoiler, but I mean it's in the very b beginning. Like she's like climbing a mountain with like her significant other, and um he uh he dies and like she like can't save him. Um so it's like she's like dealing with the grief of dad, and then it like picks up months later. Um, and she's like, you know, looking for like, you know, her uh her next adrenaline thing. Oh yeah. And she gets caught up with like this killer, and um so it's like a cat and mouse movie. Um and it's entertaining, it's fun. Um doesn't do anything like really crazy, but it's still a good little action movie. Okay. Yeah. So that's my bottom five.

SPEAKER_02 15:36

But so starting even from Scream going up, you're already in okay, these movies are worth a watch.

SPEAKER_04 15:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 15:43

Yeah. Um sorry, not not from Scream, uh from Scary Movie, my mistake.

SPEAKER_04 15:48

Yeah, yeah. I would say the uh rip you you can probably skip, but yeah, I would yeah, I like uh scary movie for for sure.

SPEAKER_02 15:56

Okay. Yeah, I mean, I don't think I've seen any of those yet. Uh besides Scream 7, of course. Um You wish you had. Because I get to see it again for the first time. Uh I want to jump over to my number 13. Uh I watched Lee Cronin's the mummy.

SPEAKER_04 16:15

Ooh, how was that?

SPEAKER_02 16:17

So I I should also rephrase uh according to the opening title, it's called The Lee Cronin's Mummy. The opening title is one of the like I was genuinely cracking up at it just because it was doing this like it was just like throwing like letters in random spots to be like, what's it gonna spell out? Uh-huh. Like like the worst Wheel of Fortune puzzle. And it ends by saying the underneath print like quotation mark, Lee Cronin's mummy. So the Lee Cronin's mummy.

SPEAKER_04 16:47

They could have ordered this a little better.

SPEAKER_02 16:50

I so for those who don't know, Lee Cronin did Evil Dead Rises, so he does horror, but his horror is very grotesque and visceral. It's less about like jump scares or necessarily even building you know atmosphere and more of just it's gonna show some really upsetting things. I thought it was okay. Um there is the detective uh May Kalamawi. I don't I'm never don't know if I'm pronouncing her name correctly, is the actress. Um but she was fantastic. I actually really liked her, and there was like a part of me thinking, like, I kind of would like this story again if we focused from her perspective of her trying to solve this mystery. And then then it cuts to like the family who's having like mummy issues. And you know what they say, if you have mummy issues, go see a therapist. Alright. So um, it it definitely is in contention for uh possibly some of the dumbest parents in a horror film. It's up there. It is up there. There's a moment where like the daughter rips off like her leg skin, and the father says, like, hey, maybe we should like take her to a specialist, and then the mom's like, You don't think I could take care of my own child? And everyone who's watching the movie is going, Well, she just ripped off her leg skin while like screaming in tongues. I I feel like this isn't like a parenting judgment, like maybe, maybe see a doctor or something.

SPEAKER_04 18:24

I really hope she's like doing this in like the living room, and then it's like they're they're like just standing like in the kitchen, like you know, just like casually, like just no in the background, she's just constantly stabbing herself in the neck. Yeah, it's like should should we like I d I don't know, you know, how do we handle this as parents?

SPEAKER_02 18:42

Yeah. There's some weird editing in it too, because like at one point it's got like a dramatic, scary scene, ooh, mummies, and then all of a sudden it cuts to a Jeep driving, and you hear blinded by the light, and it's like an overhead shot of the Jeep, and my brain seriously went, Did I Did I get an ad mid-movie? Like, am I watching this on Hulu? No, I'm in I'm in theaters. This is a what's happening here? Like, there's a lot of stuff like that. Like, it genuinely threw me off. Um It is that I will say there are a few moments that are really hard to watch because it is shock gore. And much like the Evil Dead movies, like those movies, as much as I actually like them, I do have to look away at times or really wince because some of the violence is very brutal. And there is a a really cool moment uh where a scorpion comes out of someone's throat and starts like stabbing them in the neck, like that's really brutal. There's a moment that uh for those who don't know, the Evil Dead movies really do balance horror and comedy kind of well in a lot of ways. And there's a moment where a little girl takes her grandmother, like she one of the little girls gets possessed, she rips out all of her teeth, because you know, kids. And yeah, you're bored. You know, where's my iPad? We don't have it. Alright, I'm taking my teeth out. And the little girl ends up taking like her grandmother's dentures and puts them in her mouth so she can like go and bite people. It's very fun. So that part is really great. So it has its moments, but it doesn't blow me away, and it's not one I'd really like. I'm not really rushing to go back to by any means. Uh what's your next one, Ricky?

SPEAKER_04 20:24

Um my number ten. Oh, let's go. So this one I ranked higher after I first saw it, and then I dropped it some because like just thinking about it and like hearing other people, like, it's like, nah, I I definitely agree with that and just like my own opinions. This is disclosure day.

SPEAKER_02 20:51

Yes, tell me about this, because I've not seen this yet, and I've seen a lot of mixed things where some people are saying, like, if this movie came out in the 90s, it would be like a fan favorite muff staple. But because it came out today, people are like, meh, whatever. So tell me about it.

SPEAKER_04 21:07

One thing I'll say the acting is great. Um like Emily Blunt is great, she's pretty much always great. Um Josh O'Connor, I enjoy. Um, I believe uh I believe her name is uh Eve Hewson. I think she's uh let me see here. I know she's um Bono's daughter. Yeah. Eve Hewson's great, Colin Firth, who you don't see as much anymore, like he's really good. Coleman Domingo, who's in everything. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:44

Um I think he's in this podcast. He might be us. He's a man that's good.

SPEAKER_04 21:48

That would be awesome. Um, but uh yeah, um the act the acting's great. The uh story is so like my my big thing with it is Like I had no idea where what was going on really and like where it was going and like it doesn't explain a ton until the very end and like the very end so so like when I'm watching it I'm like oh my gosh like if this does not explain everything in the end and it gave me an explanation where I was like alright cool like I'm I'm satisfied um but it's like it's just like yeah I was just like dude I have no idea like what what is happening um and also like one of the funny things about it is like wor World War III is like going on like at uh this time but they don't really uh but they don't really address it. That's funny. So so it's like it's like very much a background thing, so so it's like everyone in the world's like freaking out and all this stuff, but it's like they don't like talk about it much. Like well no one wants to no one wants to call the bus. Yeah, yeah. Um and uh there's like a really cool action scene in it. Um probably the the most jarring thing to me is like very early on they like show these animals, and it's some of the worst C CGI I've seen in recent memory. Like like it's like it it just like jumps out to me. I'm like, oh my gosh, that looks very fake. It's like they did not do a great job with like the animals. It's like because like I mean, good special effects, you know, like it's like like clearly that that didn't happen, but it but it looks real. Um this one is like oh that yeah. If it's jumping out at you like it's not a very good thing. Um but yeah, I don't want to give away too much, but it is like an alien like film, and like I know a lot of people um weren't like fans of what the aliens ended up look looking like. I love what what they look like. It's like, you know, it's very like classical, that is all that I'll say. Um and like the the the very end is done pretty well, and um there's the this character who's like a news re reporter, and she's phenomenal. Like like she's like you know, just just like re reporting about um the aliens and everything, and like it's just it's crazy. And um like one one of my coworkers like uh mentioned her her her to me and I was like, Yeah, I don't know if they like told her that this wasn't real, because like she's like very like like committed and everything, and it's like it's it's really cool. Oh nice, but um, yeah, like like I I definitely think that is a good point that if it had come out like you know, 90s earlier, um it feels like Spielberg's kind of like referencing his other movies. There they're like parts that made me think a lot of like minority re report and um yeah it's just like you know, and you feel like he's referencing like close encounters and stuff like that, so his past films.

SPEAKER_01 25:18

But uh yeah, it's worth a watch still though.

SPEAKER_04 25:22

Yeah, yeah, like like I would definitely encourage people. Like, and I feel like a lot of people like are just gonna like go for it because of Spielberg alone, um, which he is one of our greatest directors. Um I do think it's lower probably in his canon, but sure.

SPEAKER_02 25:42

Yeah, I definitely but also it's Spielberg, like Spielberg is still like a great film, you know.

SPEAKER_04 25:48

Yeah, yeah. So that was my number ten. And then I'll I'll go ahead and mention my my my number nine here, okay, which is a film called Pretty Lethal, which I really want want you to watch, possibly with your wife. Okay, this is about uh ballet dancers, and it's an action movie.

SPEAKER_02 26:11

And uh I almost threw this on recently because I think I saw the the cover for it and it the poster and I was like, what what could this be? I I I loved it.

SPEAKER_04 26:22

It's uh it's just so so silly and crazy. Um and you don't get enough ballet dancing uh action films. But yeah, it's like the these uh ballet dancers are like they're like um going to like this event, like I think it's like a competition, um, and um they get sidetracked and uh I think they're like Russians. Um and um they're kinda like held hostage, I guess, and they have to like break out and like it's very violent, um incredibly violent. Uh, but the cast is really good and it's just a fun, wacky action comedy. So uh yeah, I definitely s suggest that one. I think it was an Amazon Prime film.

SPEAKER_02 27:12

I'm definitely gonna have to get my wife to watch that. I think you're right. She's not a big like action person, but I think that hook might be enough for her to be like, alright, let me just see. If anything, she can judge the dancing.

SPEAKER_04 27:24

Right, that is exactly what I was thinking, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 27:26

Uh I'll burn through a few of mine and try to catch up to your top ten here. So, number 12 was actually from 2025 as well, but also, you know, got its somewhat limited release now. It's called You're Dating a Narcissist. Um is a film with Marissa Tomei as the lead, and Sherry Cola is like her best friend, who's very funny in it. Uh Sherry Cola you might recognize from Joyride, which I think is a really, really amazing comedy. Super, super funny. Uh Marissa Tomei might be one of the most charming people. Like, this movie I wouldn't say is anything spectacular, but you stay because I actually think uh Marissa Tomei and the girl who plays her daughter, I believe, is uh Sierra Bravo, uh, they are they have really nice chemistry, so it has nice moot moments. It's very like borderline rom-com. Rough elevator pitch. Marissa Tomei is a psych professor, psychologist who specifically specializes in narcissism and is scared that her daughter is dating a narcissist, gets engaged to a narcissist. So it's got like a fun uh pitch and hook. It it just makes some choices that I'm like, oh, I kinda wish it went another way because I I don't know if it if its m message really lands because of the the choices that it makes. But I think it's really fun, and I think it's Marissa Tomei's amazing. And I need to start watching more of her movies because I saw uh my cousin Vinny last year, I believe, and thought she was spectacular in that.

SPEAKER_04 28:51

So um Yeah, she's one of my favorite actresses. Like, I I still haven't seen my my cousin Vinny. I really have to.

SPEAKER_02 29:00

Oh my gosh, she's so good in it. It's crazy.

SPEAKER_04 29:02

Um Yeah, she's one of those who, like, to me, she gets more beautiful like the older she gets. It's like crazy.

SPEAKER_02 29:09

You would love her in this too. She she is really charming, she's got like this uh really wonderful like mom radiance, her like her protection is really sweet, and she's very funny in it. Like, she she at one point uh yells the phrase, oh, that's a load of bukake. And Sherry Cole is like, that's not what you think it means.

SPEAKER_04 29:29

Yeah, that cracked me up. Yeah, I feel like she's so uh underrated.

SPEAKER_02 29:34

Yeah, she's she's really good. Uh moving on, I did uh just outside of my top 10, the Devil Wears Prada 2. Uh, it's a fun movie, I would say. Like, basically from Narcissist Up, these are all movies that I would say either I just generally like. Um Devil Wears Prada 2, I liked. I I think it's very fun. It's it's kind of nice to be like, oh, old friends. The only thing that it really bums me out about it is it it's a lot more of a feel-good movie than the first one was. The first one ends really smartly, I think, because it ends by saying, like, no, you can't have it all. It it kind of destroys that image of you can't have the the loving husband and a happy family, and also have the the big huge CEO job. Like, you have to give something up because there's just not enough time to do it all, like it's just impossible. And I I kind of like that realism ending, and also because Anne Hathaway makes a choice to say, I'm not gonna do this in the first movie. In the second movie, it completely renegs on all of that and just goes, You can have it all pretty cool, right? And like everyone's friends and happy, and it's just like ah it like I said, it's a feel-good movie, which if that's what you're looking for, great. It was just a kind of a bummer to see that after how well I thought the first movie landed with its message.

SPEAKER_03 30:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 30:54

Um going to my top ten again, this my third Sorta 2025 movie. This was Dead Man's Wire. Uh, Dead Man's Wire was really, really interesting because it was based on a true story about a guy who uh basically felt he was wronged by a bank, and so he hooks up a shotgun to this uh banker's head, essentially, of who like runs the bank, the mortgage company, and is holding him hostage until he gets you know money, apology, and all this stuff. And it's written or excuse me, it's directed by Gus Van Sant, who we've brought in up before when we discussed Elephant, uh, a movie that we both really, really enjoy. Elephant, I think, is a more impactful movie. But this movie I think is good and just worth the watch for like some fun thrills. I think what I love about it is Bill Skarsgard is the lead, and he's in a completely different movie from everybody else.

SPEAKER_04 31:48

Like I enjoyed this movie for a while, and then it just started to like drag for me, and I was like, this could have been tightened up like so so much, and like Skarsgard, like like I kept saying thinking of Pennywise, because it's like he he just like he does things where I'm like, oh man, his voice doing some Pennywise here.

SPEAKER_02 32:16

This movie will not be my top ten by the end of the year for sure, and it it really is. I think I gave it a six, which for my uh judgments that typically means I like it. A six means I like it. A six out of ten, I know is like a D or an F in grade school or whatever, but for me, a six out of ten means this is worth a watch. Yeah. Um let's see. Uh I'll go do my number nine and we'll tie up. Number nine is a movie called They Will Kill You.

SPEAKER_04 32:43

I this is on Max now. I really need to uh watch it.

SPEAKER_02 32:48

You would love it a lot. It's very Tarantino kill bill coded. Uh it's like super violent and kind of like silly violent. Like people will get like full, like perfectly whole, like perfect holes put in through their chest, that kind of stuff. Um it stars Zazie Beats, who I think is just she needs to be a superstar in my eyes. I love her in Atlanta, and I think she's really fun in this. And it's just really violent, wacky fun times. A lot of cult stuff. Uh, you have Patricia Arquette doing creepy Patricia Arquette shit. It's fun. It's just a fun movie. It's not gonna have like a deep message, it's it will just make you go, I'm having a good time watching a bunch of insane, over-the-top violence that's very stylized.

SPEAKER_04 33:33

One question I have for you. How similar did you find it to Ready or Not?

SPEAKER_02 33:39

Well, alright, I'll go jump ahead. Number eight, Ready or Not 2 is my next one. So um, I would say they are similar in that there is like the violence in the comedy. So if you like Ready or Not, you will like They Will Kill You. I'd be very surprised if you didn't. I think Ready or Not, both the first one and the second one, do a little bit better plot-wise and character-wise. That that's probably the big difference between those two.

SPEAKER_04 34:07

Alright, so I have Ready or Not 2 as my six. So I'll I'll quickly go through my talk about seven here and then catch up so we can talk about Ready or Not 2. My number 8 is The Wrecking Crew, which is a fun action film with uh Dave B Batista and Jason Momoa. They they play brothers. Um and it's just uh they're they're a good uh pairing. It's like kind of like a buddy action film um that I ri really enjoyed. Um and then my seven is Mike and Nick and Nick and Alice, which is a fun um another like one thing like they've been doing a lot of action comedies.

SPEAKER_02 34:54

Yeah, it sounds like it.

SPEAKER_04 34:56

So like uh Vince Vaughn plays um Nick and like he's like if I re- remember, he's like uh he goes back in time to like pre prevent something and like Jason um James Marsden like works with him. Okay so like he's like um hey James, go into this house, you have to like kill the this guy. And James opens the door and it's Vin Vince Vaughn again, and he's like, What the hell's going on here? There's like two Vince Vaughns. So so it's like a little bit of a time travel um interesting comedy. Um I I believe uh John Francis Daly wrote was one of the writers on the script, I believe. Okay. I I could be wrong. Um, but you know, from like Freaks and Geeks and The Bones, I think was what he was on. Um but yeah, it's just another nice uh action comedy. And then yeah, my number six is Reddy or N or Not Two.

SPEAKER_02 36:07

Um we've mentioned really quickly before we go into it. I think this is only the second movie that we have on our lists. We I like I don't think we've ever Yeah, this is it, just ready or not to and Scream 7. Yep. That's how crazy movies can be. Like we are hopefully our top ten may have a bit more, but or you know, as we get a little bit higher. Yeah, I know we're that's kind of wild that we haven't had any really any crossover. Okay, go ahead. Ready or not to.

SPEAKER_04 36:36

Um, so we've talked on the podcast beat before, I believe, about Samara Weaving. Yes. Um probably on the scream episode, my guess. Yes, I think so. She's probably my my number one scream queen right right now. She's fantastic. Current currently, she's just, you know, like so good, and she she does a ton of uh horror films, like mainly. Um but yeah, I I guess I would give the edge to the first one because it's fresher. Yeah. Um I think this one's fun because you add in Catherine Newton, who's another a actress that I really love, and she she plays her her sister.

SPEAKER_02 37:22

She's very good in it.

SPEAKER_04 37:24

Yeah, I think that is like part of the uh fun, is like she has someone else with her this time around. So it's similar to like the first one, but um Yeah, and it takes like like some some twists that uh wasn't entirely expecting. Oh yeah. Um and like the uh cast is great.

SPEAKER_02 37:46

Can we talk Elijah Wood for a hot sec?

SPEAKER_04 37:49

Yeah, sure.

SPEAKER_02 37:50

Elijah Wood is so good in this movie. It it legit might be one of my favorite roles I've ever seen him in because he's such a little creep. Like he's he's such a little weirdo in it, and he's also very polite the entire time, which is so unnerving and upsetting.

SPEAKER_04 38:07

I also feel like he's just creepy in general because he doesn't age like looks the Assame he did 20 years ago. Like it's yeah, and like you have Sarah Michelle Geller in there, which is so great to see her.

SPEAKER_02 38:21

Great casting choice, too. Um she's very fun in it.

SPEAKER_04 38:24

Sean Hattesy's always great. Um David Cronenberg randomly in there, which is so great.

SPEAKER_02 38:32

That that was like for 15 people in the audience to be like, was that David Cronenberg? It's such a bizarre casting choice, and I love it. Yeah, um I yeah, I I still love the comedy in it. I still think it's very, very funny, and there are some brutal, brutal kills. I'm gonna try not to spoil too much because it is, you know, still fresh, you know, obviously, but um I'll say uh washing machine. I'll just say that.

SPEAKER_04 39:01

Yeah, that that one was was cool. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 39:05

Very upsetting. Um, I love that they still have like the fun tribe of some cowardly, cowardly men. Oh, yeah. Always makes me laugh in these movies.

SPEAKER_04 39:15

That was great. And um the uh guy who's like, yeah, he's like trying to get out of it. Um yeah, I don't want to give give back nowh too much away there, but it's like it's like what the fuck are you doing?

SPEAKER_02 39:29

Well, because I had the fun moment of Elijah Wood being like, are you sure you want to do this?

SPEAKER_04 39:34

Like it's like the consequences have been laid out here.

SPEAKER_02 39:39

Like Yeah, I don't I I don't give a shit. They they really do some good uh playing with your expectations in that movie too, especially if you've seen the first one and know like all the the way that that first movie ends, it kind of does a fun little uh tease and play with that first ending in the second one and makes it even more ridiculous and over the top. The more I'm talking about it, maybe I like this movie more than I think. I still gave it a seven. I still enjoyed it. It didn't do super well reviewed-wise this time around, and I'm not really sure why.

SPEAKER_04 40:11

Yeah, it um I think it's still like how Rotten Tomatoes does it, it's still like fresh, I believe. Sure. But it's like maybe in like the sixties, I think.

SPEAKER_02 40:22

I think the metascore has it at like a fifty-eight, which I mean, maybe it is more of like, oh, it's just more of the same. But I I don't know.

SPEAKER_04 40:30

I think that was the criticism, is like it doesn't do things entirely different, but I feel like, you know, the first one was so great, and this one like picks up like right after the the first one. I really love it. It's just a continuation.

SPEAKER_02 40:44

Yeah. I don't know, maybe I'm a hypocrite because what last week I said the Incredibles did the same thing and I didn't like it.

SPEAKER_04 40:50

But yeah, but I mean that one they added enough.

SPEAKER_02 40:53

I think the sister dynamic adds enough. Yeah. Oh my god, I think the biggest laugh I have was during there was a sister fighting someone very seriously and dramatically, and then Samara Weavine was fighting someone and they're both pepper sprayed. Right. Just miss in the air.

SPEAKER_04 41:13

It's so funny. Like when uh Catherine Newton, like she's fighting a man and then it's and like, damn man, like she gets like because like that isn't something you like see a ton as like you know, men and woman violence like like that, and it's very intense.

SPEAKER_02 41:30

It's pretty uncomfortable. That that actor, I'm not gonna say which actor it was to avoid any kind of spoilers, but that actor does a pretty good job of this movie being both of them. Yeah, yeah. It's hard to watch a little in a little bit, but yeah. No, I I like Redier Nut too. I most likely won't make my top ten by the end of the year. You know, you never know, but uh it'll probably get knocked out. But I still think it's very, very fun and one I will probably go back to, maybe double feature and just have a nice blood fest.

SPEAKER_04 41:59

Right, yeah. Alright, so that was my six, and that was your nine. Eight.

SPEAKER_02 42:05

No, nine was they will kill you, so I'll do my seven. Okay. Yeah. Um this one I might have low, but I want to rewatch it. So don't yell at me just yet, audience. There's still plenty of time left in the year. Seven, I put back rooms.

SPEAKER_04 42:20

Alright, this one is one that I've been wanting to talk about ever since I uh saw it. So, like, after I first saw it, I didn't rank it in there because I was like, I don't know how I feel about this.

SPEAKER_02 42:34

No, that's exactly how I felt too. Where I I watching backrooms. Well, first off, I want to say shout out to Kane Parsons, a 20-year-old uh filmmaker.

SPEAKER_04 42:47

You think you're better than me, Kane Parsons. This kid can't even drink and you're making millions.

SPEAKER_02 42:53

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, he's he's been a talented even back when he was on YouTube making these videos. Like the kid just already has an amazing eye and understanding for just tension. And that's that's why I think this movie does really, really well, is there is this tension of just walking through these liminal spaces and just feeling uncomfortable. What I kind of love about the movie though, and it's also its detriment, which is why I almost need to re-watch it, is that when I'm when I watched it, I had the same reaction you did, which is I went into the movie going, I'm curious what they're gonna do with this, and then I left the movie going, I'm curious what they're gonna do with this, because there's it's very subtle. There are there's a lot of lot of lot of subtle storytelling and world building in it. But just looking at on a surface level of performances and tension building, it's fantastic. And I've read theories and I've spoken to friends of mine, and they've had their theories and their ideas, and their theories are so wonderful and cool that I go, I I kinda want to rewatch it right now. But I'm gonna let it ruminate a bit and I'm gonna go back to it. What what are you feeling about backrooms?

SPEAKER_04 43:59

I I immediately thought of two two films that I love. They're uh classic films that I I don't know if we'll ever fully understand. Well, I'm pretty positive that we'll never fully understand what they were meant because both directors are dead now. But um two 2001, a space odyssey and Mo Moholl and Drive.

SPEAKER_02 44:21

Maholland Drive was so in my brain watching this.

SPEAKER_04 44:24

Like, um when I was done, I was like, alright, are these just like his backrooms on on that level? And like I definitely like need to rewatch it. Um I kind of like I have like a general thought of it. Um but it's like I don't know, you know, if that's what he was going for. Maybe, you know, it's like cause 2001 and Moholl and Drive were set up open to interpretation. Um, especially 2001. It's like Q Kubrick, I don't think ever came out and like, you know, said this is about this. Yeah, yeah. Um so yeah, but it is like it's so cool. Oh yeah. Um and it's very sparse, like like, you know, sets and everything. It's just some empty rooms mostly. Um, but it is so so cool, and the uh ride you you go on is very fun, and the uh cast is great.

SPEAKER_02 45:30

Supposedly they did actually build the backrooms, like that there was very little like green screen, like they actually constructed the entire thing. So like when they're running from room to room, they're actually on a physical set. It's not like they were on a green screen stage and then went to another green stage, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_04 45:50

Yeah, I I couldn't see that. So cool they did that. Like, um Yeah, and it was cool because like this is kind of like a little spoiler, um, but the way you get into the back room is like it's kind of like a portal. You like go through a wall and it takes you into the back rooms. And like the the the transition there was done very cool. Yeah. Like, you know, like because they they like do that and it's like it's pretty seamless how how it's done. So um that was really great.

SPEAKER_02 46:22

I I believe the joke I texted you after I saw it was I'm pretty sure the back rooms is just Ned Flanders' house after it was destroyed by the hurricane.

SPEAKER_04 46:30

Which is great a reference to Hurricane Netty um of The Simpsons. But um, yeah, like it's definitely one of those that I have to watch again. I I definitely ri ri respect it.

SPEAKER_02 46:49

Um Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_04 46:52

So that was actually my number five. Number five. I might put that right. So we we had it like pretty quick. Similar, like like you had it above ready or not to, as did I, so and I'll be honest, when I rewatch it, and who knows, I'll probably watch it a couple more times, it'll probably increase.

SPEAKER_02 47:13

As I said with Night Patrol, I've not stopped thinking about the backrooms after I've seen it. And so even though I didn't have the visceral like blown-away experience right then, right there, in in the the fact that I was like 10 out of 10 or whatever, it was still something where I go, this is clearly something special, and I just don't understand it yet. And I'm I need to watch it more to give it its appreciation.

SPEAKER_04 47:37

And that that is one of those things where like some films are like that, yeah, and I understand like especially a lot of like casual moviegoers, they you know, see a movie once, and then it's like you know, that is all they want to see it, and it's like you know, they have their favorites that they'll like watch, but it's like a lot of films like I will watch like multiple times, and also because like my first reaction, it's like and I've kind of like started doing this more like um the older I've gotten, is like I have to let it breathe a little bit, yeah. Um, and it's like you know, cause opinions do change oh for sure. So yeah, we'll we'll see the years to come, the multiple viewings, how I feel about it.

SPEAKER_02 48:27

Very nice. Uh so uh did you do your number seven?

SPEAKER_04 48:32

Yeah, my my number seven was Mike and Nick, and Nick and Alex. Oh, was your six? Number six was ready or not to. Okay, so I'll do my six and number five was back.

SPEAKER_02 48:41

Okay, I'll do my six and five then. Uh six. I actually threw up uh a film I really, really enjoyed from one of my favorite uh directors. Number six, I put as Send Help. I really like Send Help. Uh for those who don't know, it's directed by Sam Raimi. Although many people know him from Spider-Man movies. He, of course, was uh the original Evil Dead Army of Darkness. Uh he did a movie I really like called The Quick in the Dead, which is a Western film with a very, very, very young Leonardo DiCaprio. Um he's he's just done so many wonderful movies, and he knows how to really ride that camp line while still being really weirdly him. Uh it's Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien. They are uh they basically strand on an island. Dylan O'Brien's this boss uh CEO. He uh Rachel McAdams is this really uh what's what's like kind of like homely, a little weird, a little off-kiltered employee who's fantastic at her job, but because she doesn't really have the best personality in terms of like schmoozing. She ain't hot. Right, yeah, she's she's she's they really do a good job with the makeup to make Rachel McAdams like kind of frumpy, and then and then they crash on an island and she's got amazing survival skills, and then she kind of snaps a little bit and starts uh, you know, getting her fun little torturey revenge because also the CEO is still a fucking dick the entire time. It is so fun and just weird and brutal and uh has some very upsetting moments. There's a part where they stick a thumb in someone's eye and it's just like, ah, I don't like it. Um I I really like it. It's just this is one of those like I I would almost kind of consider this almost like a ready or not, where it doesn't necessarily say anything super, super transcendental or whatever, but you just watch it and go, I'm having so much fun right now that I just kind of want to keep watching this and see what other crazy horror things happened. They they do a scene that is very reminiscent of uh a scene from Hard Candy, uh an old film with uh uh Patrick Wilson and Elliot Page, who uh for those who've seen that movie might know what I'm referring to and send help, where they they kind of have this fun um a castration kind of implication going on. It's very enjoyable and disgusting and kind of nerve-wracking. It it really is a movie that hinges on just how well these two actors do in it, and it really is an incredible performance by both Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien.

SPEAKER_04 51:29

I think that is like part of its greatness. Yeah, is um like Rachel McAdams is just f phenomenal. She she's one of our best actresses. Um and Dylan O'Brien, yeah, like like he's definitely an up-and-comer. Like he he's been around for a while. Um but yeah, I think he's starting to get more like serious roles and stuff. But um, yeah, they're and and and the film does like a great job with like their relationship as they're on the island, and it's like I was like, where is this going? Oh, it's going here. Oh, it's not going here. Oh, it's it goes back and forth. Um and yeah, it's just it's really great. This is my number four. So I mean it's funny because like we're like running. Now we're starting to cross over. Yeah, so so so it's like, and you know, they're lining up because I had it just above backrooms as well.

SPEAKER_02 52:36

Yeah, it's it's very, very fun. I I will say one of my favorite moments uh is a laugh line that I try to tell my wife about, and she was like, that doesn't sound very funny to me at all. But it was the part where uh it's during the oh pretty early in the movie, there's a plane crash, and a guy gets sucked out the window and he's like bouncing against the window, being like, pull me back in, pull me back in, and she just shuts the window. I was cackling. I was so happy. Uh so well then you've done your number five then as well, correct? Yeah. Then we might have another crossover here soon. I believe you've seen this. Uh 28 years later, Bone Temple is my number five.

SPEAKER_04 53:17

Yep.

SPEAKER_02 53:18

Is that your number three then? Do I map, right?

unknown 53:22

Yep.

SPEAKER_02 53:22

I think I know you're two and one then. Uh so this is where we're gonna have some uh crossover. Bone Temple. Uh I I texted one of my friends as soon as I finished watching it and said, uh, if movies don't have Ray Fines dancing to Iron Maiden's uh number of the beast, what the fuck are we even doing? It's an inferior movie if you don't have that.

SPEAKER_03 53:41

I believe you texted me that.

SPEAKER_02 53:42

Did I text it you? Okay. I texted it to like seven people. I I was quite confident in that take. That movie's just I I really love the first 28 years later. And this one, I'm still debating if I like it more or less if it's on the same level, but they're both very, very fun movies.

SPEAKER_04 53:59

Yeah, I've enjoyed all of them. Um what was it? First one's 28 days later, then 28 weeks later, then 28 years later, which is great, came out. Um what that was a 2025. Yeah, I think I came out if it was last year or the year before. It was pretty recent. I believe it was last year. Yeah, I think so. Um Jody Comer. I wouldn't have been upset if she had gotten some Oscar recognition there. She's so good in that. Um, and then yeah, this one like picks off up, spoiler, right where the the last one ends. And I'm so there's a lot of crossover in the cast. Um But yeah, like I was watching it and it just like it Ray Fine should have at at least two Oscars by now. It's like if this is one of those where like him and uh I believe it's Jack O'Connell.

SPEAKER_02 54:59

Yeah, Jack O'Connell as the lead Jimmy, because they're all Jimmies.

SPEAKER_04 55:03

Yeah. Um both of them, i if they were to to get some Oscar love this year, there's no way it happens. But I would I would be so happy. Um they're so f phenomenal in this. I actually think I do enjoy this one. Gosh, this one might be my favorite of all of them. It was just like I can't argue, so I really can't. So damn good. Um one of my favorite Ray Fine's performances, and that's saying something, because he just has a career full of them. But yeah, it's uh and like it doesn't do anything too like like crazy. Like like it does like pick up this is one of those like like ready or not to um where like it just picks up after the one that came be before. But it's like it's just s done so well and um like one of the the the really cool things that um it's kind of a spoiler, I I guess, but like Ray finds is kind of like working with these zombies trying to like figure them out.

SPEAKER_02 56:13

And that's kind of in the first one too, so it's just a continuation of his work.

SPEAKER_04 56:17

Yeah, yeah, but but like that aspect is just such a cool thing and so fascinating. Yeah, yeah, like like his his character. Um so yeah, I don't wanna give away too much about it, but it's like definitely like I think it's still on net Netflix. Um, but if definitely watch 28 years later first. Oh yeah. Um, because this one, you know, like definitely picks up right after. But yeah, like definitely give them both a watch.

SPEAKER_02 56:46

Um Yeah, and there's there's some really brutal, brutal shit in this one that is pretty upsetting to watch too.

SPEAKER_04 56:54

Oh yeah, yeah. I totally w forgot about that.

SPEAKER_02 56:57

Yeah. Yeah, there there's some there's some upsetting things. I would gladly watch a third one of these. I I really like this world building they're making.

SPEAKER_04 57:09

Yeah, the ending of this one definitely sets up for a sequel, which I'm definitely excited about.

SPEAKER_02 57:15

I would gladly watch this trilogy as its own. It's funny because, like you said, there's 28 days, 28 weeks, and 28 years, which sounds like that should be its own contained trilogy. But it feels like the 28 years later are their own stories, their own trilogy, their own like takes on everything, and they're phenomenally, phenomenally good. They are so great. Uh so I'll jump jump to my number four then. This is a movie called The Drama.

SPEAKER_04 57:44

Now this one is Oh, I I haven't watched this one yet.

SPEAKER_02 57:49

Oh, you would like it.

SPEAKER_04 57:51

You would I love the cast, though.

SPEAKER_02 57:53

It's weird because it got pretty uh mixed reviews in a lot of ways, but I kind of think it's a very fascinating story. Uh without getting the big twist away, basically it's uh Robert Pattinson and uh Zendaya are uh engaged or they start dating or whatever, and eventually one of them learns a secret about the other one that they don't know if they can get past. And it's a very, very heavy secret that I think actually brings up a lot more about kind of our judgments and our morality. And I would love to go way more into detail about this movie in particular, but I don't want to say what it is just yet. Uh maybe at the end of the year I'll I'll release it. So I don't want to say too much more about this. I'll move on for now, but I would say this is a very morally complex movie that I think is really getting overlooked.

SPEAKER_04 58:56

Okay. Yeah, um, because like the way the trailer is like presented is like that that whole secret um and that mystery, like, yeah, I definitely need I might try and watch that one tonight.

SPEAKER_02 59:10

Yeah, I'm I'll we'll talk off mic and you're gonna go, oh yeah, I'm gonna go watch that right now.

SPEAKER_04 59:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 59:19

Uh did we do your your number three you said was Bone Temple, correct? Yes. So then I guess it's my number three.

SPEAKER_04 59:26

I I see now your your rankings there, there's one film that I'm not sure you've you've seen yet. Well we'll we'll find out.

SPEAKER_02 59:36

This one I know we both seen because we talked about it last week. Number three, I'm putting hoppers on here, which I assume is your number two. Yes. Okay. Yeah, hoppers. We talked about it last week of how good it was. I still really like it. I'm probably gonna watch it again. My wife wants to see it, and I'm sure we're gonna have a great, great time. Uh we we talked about it a lot last week, so I'll just keep it brief, and just that I really like that it wasn't super preachy one way or the other. I thought it was very funny, and as I stated before, it has uh one of the biggest gasps I've ever had in a movie. Roughly around the king's meeting, so you'll know exactly what it is.

SPEAKER_04 1:00:14

Yeah, and I texted you right after, and I was like, oh shit.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:19

And I love Bobby Moynihan as the king beaver, I think he's very funny in it.

SPEAKER_04 1:00:23

Yeah, it's incredibly cute. The uh voice cast is very good, and like, yeah, it does like some some very silly things w w with animals. I'm thinking about the uh shark. Oh yeah, we didn't talk about the shark last week.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:36

The shark is so funny, and there's a jokessa bear. That is Vanessa Bear, you're right. There is something so jarring in that in the shark scene too, where she has like her like you know, her picks are eyes, and then it cuts to like realistic shark eyes at one point, and it's like they're like just like black, yeah. Yeah, it's just that black doll's eyes, and you're like, oh man, like it is kind of ooh, spooky.

SPEAKER_04 1:01:00

Yeah, and it's it's so crazy.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:01

Plus, John Hamm is the the politician in it. He's very funny. He's always it's John Ham. You you know he's charming, you don't need me to tell you. Yeah. Uh I'll go uh so your number two, did we say your number two? That's Hopper. Oh, so that's right. We literally just said it. We have the same number one, I bet. Uh no. What's your number two? My number two is Hokum.

SPEAKER_04 1:01:25

Oh, alright. So you haven't uh seen Okay. Okay, I'm curious. So yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, so alright. I still haven't seen this one.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:37

So go ahead and I'll keep this one brief as well. It's Hokum is directed and written by Damien McCarthy, who did Oddity and Caveat, which I think are two of the most atmospheric horror films of late.

SPEAKER_04 1:01:51

Yeah, I've seen both of them on Shudder. I still haven't seen either.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:56

Love them all. This guy is someone I am watching now. Anytime I see his name come up, I'm gonna say, yep, I'm gonna see whatever you're working on because it's going to be great. Uh Hokum stars Adam Scott.

SPEAKER_05 1:02:10

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:11

And basically it's just a he's a writer, he goes to this Irish Inn, and the inn, you know, might be haunted by a witch, but it's really a lot more about Adam Scott's life and kind of what he's feeling, his emotions. Again, I'm I'm dancing around a lot of it because I don't want to say too much. But there are some truly beautifully shot and creepy scenes in Hokam. There are just moments where you watch it and you go, Wow, I really wish I wasn't seeing this right now. This is upsetting. And and Adam Scott, I think, is fantastic in it because he is like one of the dickiest characters I've seen in a horror film.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:58

He does that really well. It's like he he he does lovable very well, and he also does a piece of shit very well.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:05

He is just an asshole from in this movie, and which is uh uh kind of nice because I'm sure we have the same number one, because big big year for assholes in horror films. Uh so I I want to watch it again, and I want to watch it again and again, because again, there are a lot of subtle things in this one too. There there's some lines that you go, that seems like a weird line to put in the script. And then when you're watching some of the uh later scenes, you go, oh, oh, it's it's a that kind of reaction. Um so I I absolutely loved Hokum. So that's all I'll say from there. But Ricky, shall we say our number one?

SPEAKER_04 1:03:49

So I'm gonna go ahead and talk about my number one because it's one that you haven't seen.

SPEAKER_05 1:03:56

Oh.

SPEAKER_04 1:03:57

Yeah. Your your num no number one, you know, of course, I I won't include it, but it would be my number two.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:05

Oh, okay, I see what you're saying.

SPEAKER_04 1:04:07

Alright. So my number one is Project Hail Mary.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:12

That's why you did see Project Hail Mary.

SPEAKER_04 1:04:16

Yeah, this one um got a ton of love. Um and I I was kind of like I wasn't super like like excited to like see it on me and like like so supposedly it's like very good. I'm like, alright. I was pretty blown away by how much I loved this. It's by uh the Russo brothers who have done, you know, a lot of the Avengers Marvel films. Um and it stars uh Ryan Gosling, and he's like this he's a teacher, um, and he like kind of he understands things. Uh he's like a I guess he's like a science teacher. Um, but like he's like re- recruited by I believe they're NASA. Um but also I think like the CIA and FBI are are are involved. So like the whole premise is like the son is dying and they're like trying to figure out why. So he's he's sent on a mission to space. Um and most of the film is him by himself, and it's very impressive like his per performance and like how much you're like just drawn to him. Um he's a very likable guy, um uh i in general, but I mean it's like he's like there's like an an a really lovable quality to him in this. Um, and there's uh another character that is um it ends up being a puppet. Like like the the uh character like is done Through puppetry, and it's so good and so lovable. Um, and so like they develop this really like wonderful relationship in it, and it's just such a heartwarming light like film. There were like a couple moments where I don't think I teared up, but I was like on the verge of tearing up. It like really like pulls at your heartstrings, and uh Sandra Houler's in it, and she's one of our great greatest actresses right now. Like, if you haven't seen Anatomy of a Fall or The Zone of Interest on two of her best per performances, definitely see them.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:39

And both in the same year, if I remember correctly.

SPEAKER_04 1:06:41

Yep. And she has like 20 films this year that that are getting like Oscar buzz, so so it's like, you know, yeah, like she's definitely gonna get another Oscar nomination this coming year for something.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:55

Just at this point, like she's in a movie give or something.

SPEAKER_04 1:06:57

Yeah, yep. But uh, yeah, it's it's a fairly long film. I believe it's like two hours and forty minutes or something, but it like flies by. Oh wow. And um, yeah, the ending is one of my favorite endings. But um, yeah, like like I love your number one so much, and like they're they're very close for for me, but like this one just like made me feel some things, the other one didn't. So yeah, I had to give this one that's fair my number one.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:30

Uh so then my number one, I I guess you left it off your list entirely because technically it was a 2025 release.

SPEAKER_04 1:07:38

Yes, but it would be my my my number two right behind Project Hillman.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:42

Uh I have to go with obsession. It's so wonderful and worth the hype that you've been hearing. So, again, this is another very young director. It's uh Curry Barker who wrote and directed, he kinda had like a YouTube sketch show with his friend who he also cast in this movie, uh Cooper Tomlinson. And it's a just a very simple premise of that whole, you know, be careful what you wish for, you might just get it. That that's kind of takes that simple premise and really runs with it. Uh basically just one boy wishes that a girl will love him, and she does. And it's very just haunting. So okay. What's the the the exact wish?

SPEAKER_04 1:08:31

It's like I wish she would love me more than anybody else in the world. More are uh okay, more than anybody else in the world.

SPEAKER_02 1:08:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:08:39

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 1:08:40

Which is, you know, a very common thought or want that maybe someone, a young person would have. And the actress like older people, yeah, for sure. Yeah, exactly. You know, wanting to be wanted, for sure. And it's the it's a very simple premise in that way, but much like uh the drama or um even Hokum to some degree, it really does a lot because the actors are so phenomenal in it. This we might actually see, assuming how the Oscars work, uh Indy Navarette, who plays Nikki.

SPEAKER_04 1:09:21

There there's no way in hell. You don't think so? No, you there's there's there's no way. But I mean it's one of those where like, you know, if they would like put more like she's she's definitely like I wouldn't be upset at all, like if she got into something like I just fell in love with her, like immediately.

SPEAKER_02 1:09:44

I I did see something that cracked me up, which said congratulations to Indy for joining Tony Collette and the not getting an Oscar for your yeah most amazing role.

SPEAKER_04 1:09:53

I I think that is a very good call. Cause I mean it's like it's on that Samara weaving level.

SPEAKER_02 1:09:59

It's like, you know, they just don't care about horror a lot of times. Yeah. Unless it's like loosey-goosey horror sometimes, like they can kind of like dance around it, but like Yeah, it's like I mean, Amy Madigan was huge.

SPEAKER_04 1:10:12

I, you know, I would like to say, hopefully, we're on that that track. But it's also what I was saying, you know, about the beginning of the year. It's like, well, you know, and and also there's still, I think, a big stigma against horror where where it's like, you know, oh, I don't want to watch this. Um you know. But yeah, I mean, she's just so phenomenal, and I'm like, I just want her to be in everything now. I want her to blow up.

SPEAKER_02 1:10:42

Yeah, it's and I'm not gonna spoil any of the scares because there are some that genuinely made me yell out loud. And it was great to see it in a theater with people because people reacted. And I could also we can actually have a whole episode talking about how you know these young directors for obsession and backrooms are outgrossing Star Wars, which there's maybe something to say about people wanting fresh new ideas instead of the same old schlock they've seen a thousand times.

SPEAKER_04 1:11:11

But I mean, if you're an aspiring filmmaker, I mean it's that that whole thing just go out and do it, you know, put it on you YouTube, because both of these guys came from crazy YouTube.

SPEAKER_02 1:11:24

I think what I loved about this movie the most is kind of this idea that it it really makes you root for the main boy for a little while. Like it kind of makes you root for Bear because it's like, oh, he's just a guy who wants a girlfriend. How cool, like, I know how that feels, and then there are some moments in the movies where you go, oh, okay, he's not the hero. And I love that because it also takes the crazy girlfriend trope that we've seen, you know, in every movie from let's just say like 2025 prior. Uh so any movie like hell, look at like Fatal Attraction. You have Glenn Close who's killer in it.

SPEAKER_04 1:12:12

It gave me like I still haven't seen Fatal Attraction, but I know enough about it.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:17

Yeah. Where um I'm like, oh, this is definitely giving me like Fatal Attraction, but it really this movie does a good job of kind of having its cake and eating it too, because they still get to do the crazy girlfriend trope. Like she's so wacky, but also it does a good job of putting the onus on the boyfriend. And I love that. I really, really love that. And I I will say some people disagree with that take. Some people still s I don't want to spoil anything. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. So But that's what I I really kind of like that that was the interpretation, and at least my interpretation of it. But it really is just a movie that has dynamite performances that make you incredibly unnerved the entire time. And it's one I cannot wait to just throw on over and over and over again.

SPEAKER_04 1:13:08

Yeah, I think it's one of those, it's an incident classic for for sure. Um yeah, that is part of what what I love is like I I think we we have the we've had this conversation like multiple times. It's like you know, so much of film has been done, but it's like even if and like we like talked about this set in my master's program, you know, it's like everything's been done, but it's like putting your own spin on it. Yeah. It's like in like putting like what do you add to it? And like this premise is like so r relatable, and and I mean it has been done. It's like, you know, all these people, you you know, the the whole getting your your wish, but it's like and also like the consequences not being what you wanted that has been done, but the journey that you like go on is just so fresh and it is so relatable, and it was making me think about you, you know, like could I I don't think you know I would it makes you think about wishing, you know, maybe like you want to be with an ex, and it's like, oh my gosh, I wish my ex would like you know just love me and everything. But it's like what are you taking away from them? Yeah, exactly, to make that happen. Exactly. And it's like he ends up like, you know, be careful, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:14:46

It's that that a thing, but I don't wanna have to have an episode dedicated directly to some of these movies, so we can maybe around Halloween time we we can like talk about it.

SPEAKER_04 1:14:58

But um, yeah, it's like you're you relate to him, and then there's a shift where it's like, oh, watch out here. Um, where are you going here? Yeah. It's it and it also has like a great moment with the a wish aspect toward like the end. You know what I'm talking about? Yeah, yeah. And it's like, oh, that is so obvious. Like of course, and like I I I thought it was funny because I'm like, oh, it's gonna work like like this, I guess. Okay. Um but yeah, you it's just there there's so much of it to to love. Um and it's I was really pissed because I was like rooting for like something. Yep.

SPEAKER_02 1:15:50

I know, I know, I know what you're saying. Like you you want the the guy to have a good moment.

SPEAKER_04 1:15:57

Yeah, yes. So like, you know, it's like it's like kind of happening, but I knew what was gonna happen, so I was like, and like that that that was also m one of the things it it never really scared me. I feel like there was like one maybe like jump jump scare, but it's like I still even though I wasn't scared, I was still like, oh my gosh, this is so damn good. I was tense, and so so so damn creepy, like like the one party scene that that was probably my my my favorite scene. That's uh quite a scene. But yeah, it's oh gosh, it's so good. Like like if you're a horror fan, um haven't seen obsession, fucking what are you doing?

SPEAKER_02 1:16:45

Go see it.

SPEAKER_04 1:16:46

Yeah, like like you're an idiot, and then you you you you suck. But um, yeah, yeah, it's like drop everything. If you have to quit your job, yeah, please. Like, um abandon your your children. Good. Good, what else? Like uh ruin your marriage. Exactly. Um like just like sorry, we we done. I'm gonna see this. Uh yeah, it's just oh man. I can't think of like I think my reaction to this, I might love this more than I loved weapons from from last year. I I think I just do two.

SPEAKER_02 1:17:25

I I like it's just weapons is great.

SPEAKER_04 1:17:29

Yeah, no, weapons is also fantastic. But it's like, yeah, my my reaction to this one is like, oh my gosh, like just so amazing.

SPEAKER_02 1:17:38

Well, with that, I think we have already covered quite extensively our top movies of 2026 so far. But of course, these are all gonna change. We still have six months left. I'm sure my rankings are gonna go all over the place. I know yours are gonna go all over the place. And you know what? I hope you all have seen some great movies. I hope you all have your rankings. Please share them with us. Uh we don't have an email or a Twitter, so just yell them into the wind.

SPEAKER_04 1:18:05

Yeah, yeah. Uh get it get 'em t to us somehow.

SPEAKER_02 1:18:08

Yeah, please. If be be be creative. But that's all the time we have today for a mostly film podcast. I've been Brandon. With me as always is Ricky. Now please go watch the movies.

SPEAKER_03 1:18:22

Bye.