In last week’s newsletter, we brought you the 2,789th Star Wars entry. Josh texted the group, “headed to watch that Groot movie or something.” He’s never been a big SW guy. Real shame.

Pedro Pascal and Baby Yoda have been fun on screen before, so fingers crossed we get a banger.

Here’s what we have for you this week:

Concession Stand Scorecard: Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu
Watchlist Worthy: You ever send texts, DMs, or voicemails to someone who’s passed for catharsis?

This week’s movie - Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu

Letterboxd Description:

If you’re searching for new adventure, “this is the way.”

The evil Empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy. As the fledgling New Republic works to protect everything the Rebellion fought for, they have enlisted the help of legendary Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin and his young apprentice Grogu.

Best Watched With

Side quest lovers and suckers for cute little green Grogus

End Credit Thoughts

Alright, first things first. Honesty. We have not watched much of the Mandalorian series, and yes, we still decided to go watch this movie and see if it is worth the price of admission. We can confirm seeing season 1, but that is all. Sue us. (Please don’t. Unless it’s Eric. You can sue him.)

Therefore, do you need to be familiar with the Mandalorian series to enjoy this movie? We are going to say no, you do not. Would it be helpful? Probably, but it is a pretty straightforward adventure sci-fi movie.

Do you need to be familiar with the Star Wars franchise in general to watch this movie? No, not necessarily. But to enjoy? Yes, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the world of Star Wars. The editing, the Jim Henson-style practical effects, the legacy of OG Star Wars characters, there is much here to experience for Star Wars lovers and fanatics as this movie expands the lore.

The story is formulaic and does not feel like it is doing anything new. This is not to say it is not entertaining. We love a movie that starts off with a successful mission that leads to another seemingly easy-peasy follow-up mission that goes awry. James Bond fans, anyone?

The Star Wars world is present. From the power-point scene transitions to the intergalactic space travel to planets that look like downtown Chicago to planets that look like the bayou. The environments are characters in and of themselves, and we enjoyed Jon Favreau’s and the film production team’s effort in building the sets.

We read Jeremy Allen White’s name in the opening credits and waited the entire movie for him to appear. We have to admit, we did not do our due diligence and learn everything we could going into it. Honestly, it’s way more fun going into movies blind. It turns out, White voices a character, and it sounds about 0% like him. Which was awesome, as it did not pull us out of the movie.

Of course, Pedro Pascal does a job well done, suited and helmeted up. Call it gimmicky or whatever, but Martin Scorsese voicing a character was fun as hell. That is an Emmy-nominated actor now, and we are excited to see where his young career goes from here.

Even with the Mandalorian’s stoicism, there were some good laughs to be had. Grogu, as the folks who watch the television series already know, adds a touch of playfulness. He is adorable, elicits some chuckles, and heightens the stakes because who wouldn’t get stressed if this child were in danger?!

Overall, this movie feels like a large-scale side quest. A lot of what we see on screen is nothing new to those who have been engrossed in the franchise. Impossible missions, betrayal, loyalty to a fault, pits of unknown monsters, and, of course, lightspeed. It is a fun movie, and Mandalorian and Star Wars die-hards will want to watch it on the big screen, but it was not epic or moving enough for us to call it a must-watch for all movie-lovers.

Josh Jump Scare Count: 1

Want to know more about our individual ratings of movies?
Follow us on Letterboxd:
@justjoshperez
@ericharrison
@kellyharrison

Voicemails for Isabelle by Leah McKendrick

Letterboxd Description:

Sometimes the universe leaves you a message.

A young woman’s hilariously confessional voicemails to her late sister are unknowingly redirected to a stranger, who begins to fall in love from afar.

I watched this trailer at 6am on a random morning and I was crying in bed. Immediately showed Eric and watched him the entire time waiting for him to cry. Needed it in solidarity. He didn’t. I cried even more.

I personally have sent text messages to a number I very well knew wasn’t the person I wanted them to go to because that number no longer existed. It felt therapeutic. Not sure if anyone actually read them…and if they did, they had the courtesy of letting me pour my heart out. So while it might be predictable (he doesn’t tell her, she finds out, is mad then forgives him) this hit a soft spot for me and I can’t wait to watch.

I also adore Zoey Deutch. Such a babe.

-Kelly

Also Directed by Leah McKendrick:
Scrambled (2023)

Tune in next week for | Backrooms

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In last week’s newsletter, we said In the Grey, but you’re getting Obsession. Josh is chasing a Guy Ritchie high that hasn’t hit in quite some time. No hate to the guy *smirk* but his recent filmography has not made us rush down to the local AMC. So, the producers overruled Josh and made the executive decision to change to the sophomore film of one of the founders of the TikTok comedy group, That’s a Bad Idea.

History has shown us that sketch comedians like Jordan Peele can deliver high-quality, insanely fun, and sometimes unwanted, unforgettable scenes. We also wanted to see what Josh’s jump-scare count would be, since all we’ve been hearing is how horrifying Obsession is. Let’s get into it!

Here’s what we have for you this week:

Concession Stand Scorecard: Obsession
Watchlist Worthy: Actually Anthony Michael Bourdain this week
ICYMI Pod: Oldies, but Goodies! Marty Supreme and Movie Theaters

This week’s movie - Obsession

Letterboxd Description:

BE CAREFUL WHO YOU WISH FOR…

After breaking the mysterious “One Wish Willow” to win his crush’s heart, a hopeless romantic finds himself getting exactly what he asked for but soon discovers that some desires come at a dark, sinister price.

Best Watched With

Your Toxic Ex and anyone who has ever asked someone out

End Credit Thoughts

Have you ever been on either side of unrequited love? Well, if you have, we’ve got JUST the movie for you. Curry Barker is here for the horror throne with his sophomore film, Obsession. It is set in modern times with a handful of best-in-class performances and a small yet solid supporting cast. Our entire theater was cackling one moment, with our mouths agape the next. What a ride!

There was a genuine level of hype for this movie in the Twitter bubble (no, we don’t refer to it as X. What, did you X about the movie? No, you drafted a tweet about it. Get lost if you disagree).

Anyways. We went into this level-headed, a solid and creepy trailer that seemed like a cautionary “be careful what you wish for” tale. And boy did Curry and his cast deliver. Inde Navarrette was unbelievable. Her non-verbal acting was engaging from the START, even before shit got evil and weird. It is amazing what someone can communicate on-screen with just their face. She was genuinely scary.

Without spoiling the movie, there were a handful of scenes where she just flipped a f*cking switch, going from the sweet, loving girlfriend to a sinister presence. Opposite Inde was Michael Johnston, and we were not familiar with his game at all. He pissed us off plenty of times and was an incredible co-lead for this film.

A few things stood out about Obsession. First is the tension. It was unbelievable throughout! They didn’t resort to age-old horror gimmicks, leaning fully into gore without a story, so the tension isn’t tension; it ends up being just a sick stomach from blood on screen. Instead, they developed the story and our characters in such a patient way that the gory payoffs were genuinely unsettling.

Second, it pulled absolutely NO punches. Many horror films threaten to get weird, to break the rules, or get darker, but end with some gentle or therapeutic resolution. Nope, not Curry! He said “f*ck it we ball” and took us down a terrible path and then left us at a dead end with no resolution, just upset stomachs — not just from the gore but from the devastating ending.

The big screen elevated this, as did the crowd. When we realized our jaws were on the floor, we looked around and saw the same with everyone else, including some with their eyes closed. Hell yeah, Curry! Please don’t stop making horror.

See this on the big screen, please.

Josh Jump Scare Count: 20+

Want to know more about our individual ratings of movies?
Follow us on Letterboxd:
@justjoshperez
@ericharrison
@kellyharrison

Tony by Matt Johnson

Letterboxd Description:

“I was — to be frank — a spoiled, miserable, narcissistic, self-destructive and thoughtless young lout, and badly in need of a good ass-kicking.”

A 19-year-old Anthony Bourdain travels to Provincetown and stumbles into the chaotic world of a restaurant kitchen, setting off a summer that will shape the course of his life.

I know everyone is a one of kind person. We’re all different with our unique mannerisms, our idiosyncrasies (yes, I like this word and use it a lot. Shoutout Sean from Good Will Hunting) that separate us from sameness. But Anthony Bourdain truly felt like one of a kind. I have friends and family with different interests and lived experiences, and yet, similiarly impacted and influenced by Bourdain.

In profound ways, unexpected ways, I hear people from all walks of life share appreciation and love for this man we’ve never met. But they speak as if, not only that they know Bourdain, but Bourdain knows them. Like he was able to open the bottom drawers of our souls, then light a cigarette and crack open a beer to chat about what was found.

And now we are getting a biopic. And I think he’d probably hate that it’s being made. Selfishly, I am stoked. Sorry, Bourdain. I hope you understand my excitement.

Added to my watchlist.

-JP :)

Also Directed by Matt Johnson:
Blackberry (2023)
Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie (2025)

Marty Supreme: Spoilers #67

🎧 Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

🎥 Watch this episode on YouTube

Marty Supreme streaming on HBO Max!

Movie Theater Experiences | Keep Cinemas Alive! #55

🎧 Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

🎥 Watch this episode on YouTube

Eric and Josh discuss various topics centered around their experiences with movies and movie theaters. They touch on the excitement and nostalgia associated with midnight premieres, particularly reflecting on films like ‘The Dark Knight’ and ‘Titanic’.

Tune in next week for | Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu

Follow us on:
Instagram: @_sweetandcondensed_
TikTok: @SweetAndCondensed
Youtube: @SweetAndCondensed

Here’s what we have for you this week:

Concession Stand Scorecard: The Sheep Detectives
Watchlist Worthy: Anthony Michael Bourdain
ICYMI Pod: Project Hail Mary

This week’s movie - The Sheep Detectives

Letterboxd Description:

A new breed of mystery.

George Hardy is a shepherd who reads detective novels to his beloved sheep every night, assuming they can’t possibly understand. But when a mysterious incident disrupts life on the farm, the sheep realize they must become the detectives. As they follow the clues and investigate human suspects, they prove that even sheep can be brilliant crime-solvers.

Best Watched With

Capricorns, Aquariuses, and Pisces.

End Credit Thoughts

We truly had no intentions of covering this movie. It was hardly on our radar. We even had a hard discussion with the producers and editors about at least doing a double feature. Mortal Kombat II is also releasing this weekend, and at the very least, it will be a hell of a good time of kick action. But “we” couldn’t make it happen (boo, Josh). BUT with Hugh Jackman's filmography, we couldn't pass up watching his highest-rated movie of all time.

Knives Out meets Ratatouille, The Sheep Detectives is a fun and playful murder mystery, whodunnit, with themes of anyone (or sheep) can be anything, and everyone belongs somewhere. No, no sheep is controlling a human, but it is a wonderful display of finding where one belongs and finding ultimate significance in a greedy, hurtful, and violent world.

The movie sets up the world and life of shepherding well. In the first ten minutes, we knew about life as a sheep, life in a flock, and what a good life looks like in the English countryside. In the fictional village of Denbrook, it is lush and green, and a small population where everyone knows everyone. The last place where violent crime would take place, making this the perfect setting for a murder mystery.

The sheep are a blast, and the movie leans into the assumption that sheep are dumb. It does a great job of using this both as a prop for humor, and as a site for unexpected surprises. It was a lot funnier than we anticipated, and while the setup felt templated (nothing wrong with a cookie-cutter setup if it is done well), there were plenty of parts of the story that caught us off guard.

Hugh Jackman is an excellent cast as the warm-hearted shepherd who will do anything for his flock, making his murder high stakes since we cared so much for him and the well-being of his woolly family. The most fun comes from the voice actors. Brett Goldstein voicing twin rams, Patrick Stewart, Regina Hall, Chris O’Dowd, Bella Ramsey, Rhys Darby, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Bryan Cranston, to name a few of the STACKED and high-profile voice actors.

There are several folks capable of leading acts; however, it was a pleasant experience to see everyone share the stage harmoniously, whether with their voices or physical presence. With so many powerhouse names, we can imagine how quickly scenes can become stuffy, but all we get here is clear air and a clear path for the story to take the spotlight.

We didn’t drop tears, but we could easily see this being a full movie for some of you out there. It was enjoyable to follow along the mystery and participate in guessing who it is (we were SUPER wrong, not even close). We had some good laughs, and man, oh man, for a murder movie, it was such a warm and wholehearted flick. Give us a few movies like this, where we get to address grief but also feel good and comfy by the end, every year, and we’ll be satisfied (easy for us to say this year when we know we’re also getting a Nolan, Gerwig, Iñárritu, and Villeneuve film).

In March, we received a text in the Sweet & Condensed group message that read, “Who the hell is this movie for??” We love being proved wrong, because it turns out the real question is, “Who the hell is this movie not for??” This is one of those rare movies that can be enjoyed by all ages. Murder can be an adult topic, but it is handled with care and without gore. Take the family, watch alone, or go on a date. It won’t be mind-blowing, but you won’t regret spending the money either.

Matinee tickets for everyone, anytime tickets for theater lovers.

Josh Jump Scare Count: 0

Want to know more about our individual ratings of movies?
Follow us on Letterboxd:
@justjoshperez
@ericharrison
@kellyharrison

Practical Magic 2 by Susanne Bier

Letterboxd Description:

The Owens sisters must confront the dark curse that threatens to unravel their family once and for all.

Practical magic was one of those movies where the aesthetic made the entire movie. It was a warm, hazy 90s fever dream. Having margaritas at midnight and singing at the top of your lungs with the women in your life is something every female needs to experience. This movie made me so mad. And so sad. And so happy. As the profeshs (Eric and Josh) would say “a full movie”. When a second one was announced I was sad because this movie is so perfect by itself. BUT after seeing this trailer OH MY LAAAAWWWRD. I. AM. SEATED. PUT THE LIME IN THE COCONUT AND SHAKE IT ALL UP BABY

-Kelly

Also Directed by Susanne Bier:
Birdbox (2018)
The Perfect Couple (2024)

Project Hail Mary: Spoilers #72

🎧 Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
🎥 Watch this episode on YouTube

Eric describes seeing the film twice, praising Ryan Gosling and saying the long runtime never felt slow; both say they laughed and cried, especially when they thought Rocky might die. They highlight Rocky’s effectiveness as a largely practical puppet voiced and puppeteered by James Ortiz, and they discuss how the movie’s length helps build the friendship between Grace and Rocky through comedic and heartfelt moments.

When we discuss that this movie is a full movie, we are talking about the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jimmy V 1993 ESPY Speech rubric⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – Did it hold them in thought, make them laugh, and move their emotions to tears?

They praise the film’s hopeful tone—cooperation between governments, a non-malicious threat, and two species sacrificing to save their worlds—along with visuals, music, and specific scenes, then encourage listeners to see it in theaters and tease a future book episode while plugging their newsletter and subscriptions.

00:00 Eric Falls Asleep
01:05 Baby In The Room
02:22 Spoiler Warning Setup

If you have seen Project Hail Mary, here is a chat for us to chat about it :D

Tune in next week for | In The Grey

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Here’s what we covered in April in case you missed anything!

SCORECARDS

ICYMI PODCAST EPISODES

WATCHLIST WORTHY

Backrooms by Kane Parsons

The Invite by Olivia Wilde

Colony by Yeon Sang-ho

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Next week is the opening day for Mortal Kombat II, and it is in IMAX. The first one came out in 2021 and surprised us with how watchable it was. An 85% audience score. But next week is also the opening weekend of The Sheep Detectives, which one of us sent a message asking, “Who the hell is the audience for this movie?” It’s currently at a NINETY FOUR PERCENT on Rotten Tomatoes and is Hugh Jackman’s HIGHEST rated movie EVER on the site. Hugh Jackman has been in BANGERS (sure, some stinkers, but a lot of bangers).

What is life? Because Josh is literally the worst at making decisions, can you all make a decision for us and let us know in the comments of this post which movie we should do for the socrecard next week? Pretty please.

Here’s what we have for you this week:

Concession Stand Scorecard: The Devil Wears Prada 2
New Pod Drop: Project Hail Mary: Spoilers #72

This week’s movie - The Devil Wears Prada 2

Letterboxd Description:

Icons reign forever.

As Miranda Priestly nears retirement, she reunites with Andy Sachs to face off against her former assistant turned rival: Emily Charlton.

Best Watched With

Someone who can tell the difference between Blue and Cerulean, and someone who couldn't care less.

End Credit Thoughts

Four presidents, three popes, two officially designated U.S. recessions, and one global pandemic. That is what has happened in the world between The Devil Wears Prada (2006) and The Devil Wears Prada 2 (2026). Two long decades waiting for a sequel we did not know was coming, or needed. We hope no one was holding their breath.

If you were wondering what happened to Andy (Anne Hathaway), Miranda Priestly (oh, we know who she is), Nigel (Stanley Tucci), and Emily (Emily Blunt) after Paris, wonder no more. The Devil Wears Prada fills you in and more. After unfortunate events, Andy and Miranda (no introduction needed) are reunited at Runway after 20 years — yes, the movie is on the same timeline as ours — dropping us back into the cutthroat world of fashion.

At first, the sequel felt heavy-handed with its characters and callbacks, seeming like fan service. Dress size comments, new assistants, different age, but same banter between all the main characters we loved and loathed in the first movie. Not to say it wasn’t enjoyable. Sometimes, fan service gets a bad wrap. If we had The Devil Wears Prada on VHS, we would have burned through the tape from all the rewatches. So yes, the callbacks and inside jokes feel special and are appreciated. However, the entire runtime of this? That can be exhausting, especially from a cultural artifact of this caliber.

But this was not the case with The Devil Wears Prada 2. We had our insider fun, but the new story uses familiar tropes from the first one, with similar consequences to make it seem like a rinse-and-repeat, only to use it against you. We knew we would have fun, but were surprised by how enjoyable, moving, and heartfelt this second installment is. Sequels are tough to do, and can be rough to watch. Not every franchise can be Toy Story. If we learned anything here, it is to never underestimate or ever try to estimate Miranda Priestly.

Everyone came back to reprise their roles and did so in stride. We couldn’t believe we were actually seeing these characters back on the screen after all this time, and even more so, how believable it was that they are still Andy, Miranda Priestly, Nigel, and Emily, just twenty years older. They use the cultural shifts from the 2000s to the 2020s so well. What could be said in the workplace, what shouldn’t have ever been allowed to be said in the past, new trends now, and how fast technology makes us feel old, all of this is well-baked into little moments and woven into the dialogue, creating a time capsule of Runway 2006.

Obviously, the queen Meryl Streep was going to be nothing short of spectacular, but the person who blew us away the most in the reprisal was Emily Blunt. Even after all this time, she nailed all of Emily’s mannerisms, spite, and insecurities as if she’s been method acting since the first movie. Hathaway was great, and we loved seeing Tucci have what seemed like more screen time this go around (14:51 in The Devil Wears Prada, according to Matthew Stewart (Screen Time Central) on X.com).

This movie was on the verge of being a full movie for us. It held us in thought; we talked about it well after on the drive home, and it definitely had the audience cackling, with some really heavy, tear-jerking scenes. If it wasn’t 1000 degrees in our theater, maybe we would have been more primed to cry. We could easily see this one getting the tear ducts working for many.

As far as whether it's worth seeing on the big screen or not…let’s be honest… we knew the theaters would be taking our money the moment they dropped that teaser trailer that literally gave us nothing but the lead actor’s names. You knew before opening this email.

Josh Jump Scare Count: 2

Want to know more about our individual ratings of movies?
Follow us on Letterboxd:
@justjoshperez
@ericharrison
@kellyharrison

Project Hail Mary: Spoilers #72

🎧 Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
🎥 Watch this episode on YouTube

Eric describes seeing the film twice, praising Ryan Gosling and saying the long runtime never felt slow; both say they laughed and cried, especially when they thought Rocky might die. They highlight Rocky’s effectiveness as a largely practical puppet voiced and puppeteered by James Ortiz, and they discuss how the movie’s length helps build the friendship between Grace and Rocky through comedic and heartfelt moments.

When we discuss that this movie is a full movie, we are talking about the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jimmy V 1993 ESPY Speech rubric⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – Did it hold them in thought, make them laugh, and move their emotions to tears?

They praise the film’s hopeful tone—cooperation between governments, a non-malicious threat, and two species sacrificing to save their worlds—along with visuals, music, and specific scenes, then encourage listeners to see it in theaters and tease a future book episode while plugging their newsletter and subscriptions.

00:00 Eric Falls Asleep
01:05 Baby In The Room
02:22 Spoiler Warning Setup

If you have seen Project Hail Mary, here is a chat for us to chat about it :D

Tune in next week for | Mortal Kombat II or The Sheep Detectives

Follow us on:
Instagram: @_sweetandcondensed_
TikTok: @SweetAndCondensed
Youtube: @SweetAndCondensed

On this week’s episode, Eric legitimately fell asleep while recording and managed to wake up just long enough for us to dive into a full-spoiler breakdown of the latest Ryan Gosling sci-fi epic. We measure this incredible movie by the Jimmy V rubric—did it make you think, laugh, and cry? This one hits all three out of the park. Grand slam, babyyyyyy.

We’re unpacking why a hopeful, cooperative take on the end of the world is exactly what we needed right now, praising James Ortiz’s absolute magic in bringing Rocky to life, and breaking down what’s written on Ryland Grace’s spaceship whiteboard (Seriously, do you have the cilantro soap gene?).

Grab your noise-canceling headphones (because personal space is at a premium) and get ready for a deep dive into why saving the universe is always better when you do it with a friend.

Project Hail Mary: Spoilers #72

🎧 Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
🎥 Watch this episode on YouTube

Eric describes seeing the film twice, praising Ryan Gosling and saying the long runtime never felt slow; both say they laughed and cried, especially when they thought Rocky might die. They highlight Rocky’s effectiveness as a largely practical puppet voiced and puppeteered by James Ortiz, and they discuss how the movie’s length helps build the friendship between Grace and Rocky through comedic and heartfelt moments.

When we discuss that this movie is a full movie, we are talking about the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jimmy V 1993 ESPY Speech rubric⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – Did it hold them in thought, make them laugh, and move their emotions to tears.

They praise the film’s hopeful tone—cooperation between governments, a non-malicious threat, and two species sacrificing to save their worlds—along with visuals, music, and specific scenes, then encourage listeners to see it in theaters and tease a future book episode while plugging their newsletter and subscriptions.

00:00 Eric Falls Asleep
01:05 Baby In The Room
01:44 Spectrum Show Tangent
02:22 Spoiler Warning Setup
03:02 First Reactions Runtime
04:14 Rocky Steals The Show
05:19 Puppet And Voice Magic
06:51 Friendship Makes It Work
08:58 Big Laughs Big Feels
12:05 Hopeful Sci Fi Themes
16:20 Strat And Moral Choices
17:59 Love Over Fear Message
22:18 Rocky Hate Mark
23:04 Voice Acting Matters
25:21 Actors Becoming Roles
27:00 Always Muscles Whiteboard
27:43 Cilantro Gene Tangent
30:57 Rapid Fire Highlights
31:37 Karaoke Scene Debate
34:49 Final Thoughts and Plugs

Subscribe to Sweet & Condensed! A weekly newsletter that lets you know at a glance if the latest box office releases are worth your time and money and what to expect if you decide to go.

Why you'll love it - Think all the movie love and fun, none of the snobbery. We're doing this because we love people, movies, and the magic that lives where they meet.

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We messed up.

Life has been lifin. Between work, work, and other things that are not work, we were not able to make it to the theaters this week. FIRST TIME maybe EVER? We might have missed one week since this newsletter’s conception, and we are SO SAD. We will make it up to you, our sweet and beloved subscribers, soon.

In the meantime, we have a new section for you: Critics vs Audience. We have looked at the initial Critics vs. Audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes for Michael and added commentary on this, thoughts on the filmmaking crew, and other musical biopics. We discovered a trend, and we think you might find it interesting. If so, let us know. If this new section isn't working, tell Eric, and we won't do it again, and we will make sure we never miss another week. (or probably come up with another potentially dumb idea to try out).

Happy reading :)

Here’s what we have for you this week:

Critics vs Audience: Michael and recent Musician Biopics
Watchlist Worthy: Maybe our favorite trailer this year thus far?
ICYMI Pod: Yap Session in Las Cruces: Film Festival, What We’ve Been Watching, and Harry Potter First Watch #72

Michael by Antonine Fuqua

Letterboxd Description:

Discover the making of a king.

Discover the story of Michael Jackson, one of the most influential artists the world has ever known, and his life beyond the music, tracing his journey from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of the Jackson Five, to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world, highlighting both his life off-stage and some of the most iconic performances from his early solo career.

It was only a matter of time before the King of Pop biopic hit theaters. We have had a string of musical titans on the silver screen the past couple of years: Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere (2025), Back to Black (2024), A Complete Unknown (2024), Bob Marley: One Love (2024), and Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody (2022). Taking on such a role seems daunting and a heavy lift, even for top-tier talent. Actors want to get it right just as much, and probably more, than the audience.

With movies, especially ones with original IP, we want solid performances, but why wouldn’t we? We love movies, and we want to enjoy every aspect of them, including the acting. However, with movies based on real life, especially those that portray icons who impacted and shifted industries in monumental ways, leaving a legacy that outlasts their time here on this side of life, we have preconceived notions and high expectations of the actors. Did they actually perform the music? Or did they lip-sync? Did they commit to learning not just their stage presence, but also their idiosyncrasies in everyday life? Will we forget the name of the actor because they truly transformed into Bob Dylan, Whitney Houston, and, this week’s release, Michael Jackson?

Michael is Jafaar Jackson’s feature film debut. He is the lead. He is Michael. And he is the nephew of one of the most influential artists this world has known. This made us curious, as we assumed the personal relationship would add to the project's passion.

Jackson is directed by the man who delivered us Training Day (2001), Antoine Fuqua, and flanked by a solid supporting cast, including the Colman Domingo. Domingo has become one of our favorites to see on screen, and a beloved who is always dressed to the nines off-screen. Fuqua, Domingo, and a Jackson relative are a force, but is it enough to commit your time and dimes to paying the price of admission at your local theater?

The critics say no. It’s currently sitting at a 40% out of 161 reviews. Rotten Tomatoes works on a binary system. It’s a yes or a no. A “I liked it” or “I didn’t like it.” Think of Commodus giving the thumbs up or the thumbs down when deciding if the men in the colosseum are to live or to die. If he gives a thumbs up, it does not mean the fight was perfect, just that he enjoyed it enough for the gladiator to live.

64 critics said they did like the movie Michael, while 97 said they did not. Is this helpful? Is this system foolproof? No. But if a movie gets a certified fresh rating (75% or higher), we will give it the benefit of the doubt and watch it. However, recently, history would say the audience (non-critics) has a wildly different response to musician biopics.

Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere (2025) and A Complete Unknown (2024) received the closest scores from the critics and the audience, with the latter having only a 13% gap. The former was not certified fresh but did receive an audience score of 82% approval from 1,000+ ratings. We only covered Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere in a newsletter, which we said was worth the price of admission (realizing we never did a piece on A Complete Unknown is baffling—and Josh says he is a Timmy Chalamet Stan smh). You can check that one out here:

We did not watch or cover Back to Black (2024), Bob Marley: One Love (2024), or Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody (2022), but by looking at the critic scores compared to the audience scores, you might see a trend. And this trend might suggest that people really, really enjoy watching these kinds of movies on the big screen. Is it the nostalgia? Is it the love of their work? Is it the fact that these folks had a radical impact on genres and industries in ways we can’t forget, regardless of the appreciation of their art or not? We do not know. But it is fun and interesting to see these trends.

Happy movie watching this weekend. Let us know what you have on the docket. If it is Michael, we’d love to hear your thoughts, and if you lean towards the critics or the audience scores.

Want to know more about our individual ratings of movies?
Follow us on Letterboxd:
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Idiots by Macon Blair

Letterboxd Description:

When two unqualified bozos are hired to transfer a rich teen to rehab, their straightforward gig quickly spirals into dangerous mayhem.

We are so psyched for Idiots directed by Macon Blair, with a trailer edited by a fucking wizard (whoever you are, BLESS YOU), this looks so fun. The cast is INSANE. Dave Franco, O’Shea Jackson Jr, Kieran Shipka, Luke Wilson, Peter Dinklage, and the up & coming (arrived?) Mason Thames.

CAN’T WAIT.

-Eric

I second what Eric said. The trailer was a short film in and of itself. My brother texted me and asked if there was a film term for this type of trailer editing. I don’t know if there is a term but their should be. That’s how incredible it is. It looks like a ton of fun, and we’ll all be seated for this one.

Added to my watchlist.

-JP :)

Also Directed by Macon Blair:
The Toxic Avenger (2023)
I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore (2017)

Yap Session in Las Cruces: Film Festival, What We’ve Been Watching, and Harry Potter First Watch #72

🎧 Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
🎥 Watch this episode on YouTube

Josh and Eric record while Eric is in Las Cruces with poor internet, having forgotten his microphone, and while he is attending events tied to a film festival and a grand opening.

Eric describes interrupting Steve Zahn for a photo and later apologizing, while they joke about “everything everywhere all at once” jumpers and embarrassment as narcissism.

They discuss the grim state of New Mexico film production despite festival sponsorships, bird poop “good luck,” and what they’ve been watching: Eric’s first-time Harry Potter run (including an Alfonso Cuarón “ice/eyes” anecdote), Slow Horses season five, Your Friends and Neighbors, Project Hail Mary, and the new Mario movie, while Josh recommends The Pitt and DTF and mentions seeing the new Faces of Death and excitement for the Backrooms horror film.

Tune in next week for | The Devil Wears Prada 2

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Which is your favorite Mummy movie? Including The Scorpion King spin-offs.

Here’s what we have for you this week:

Concession Stand Scorecard: Lee Cronin’s The Mummy
Watchlist Worthy: Eric puts the whore in whorror—new Zombie flick
New Pod Drop: Eric coming in not-so-live from Las Cruces and meeting Steve Zahn.

This week’s movie - Lee Cronin’s The Mummy

Letterboxd Description:

What happened to Katie?

The young daughter of a journalist disappears into the desert without a trace—eight years later, the broken family is shocked when she is returned to them, as what should be a joyful reunion turns into a living nightmare.

Best Watched With

Your pedicure pal and a New Mexican

End Credit Thoughts

Lee Cronin’s The Mummy is unrelated to any previous The Mummy movies and can be viewed as a standalone horror tale. It is set in modern times; however, it can’t be a mummy movie without ancient Egyptian myths, mysteries, and histories. Lee Cronin’s vision is gruesome and a bloody mess, but also, unexpectedly, quite funny at times. Our theater was definitely having lol moments due to humor, and a time or two because of its ridiculousness.

The movie takes place in two of the most prominent world deserts, the Sahara and whatever desert Albuquerque, New Mexico, is in (it’s the Chihuahua Desert, but we wanted an excuse to write Albuquerque because how many movies actually use Albuquerque as the movie's setting? Maybe more than we think, but we digress—also don’t fact-check the prominence of the deserts. Just trust us).

Shoutout to sandstorms in Cairo and the beautiful Sandias. We always appreciate seeing our home state represented not just on the big screen, but also named. The landscape and the foothills made us who no longer live in the 505 feel at home in the midst of grotesque body gore and haunting images.

The performances are not profound, but some stand out more than others. The leads are fine and mostly forgettable. The kids hold it down, though. Shylo Moilna (Sebastián Cannon), Billie Roy (Maud Cannon), and Natalie Grace (Katie Cannon) do the heavy lifting. Grace has the difficult task of playing a mummified eight-year-old and needing to perform some sickening body horror scenes and produce some unsettling sounds. Roy brings some shockingly hilarious humor for a child. She, alongside Veronica Falcón (Carmen Santiago, grandma), has great comedic timing and brings much-needed tension relief at key moments. And, also, contribute to the madness that takes place. We’ll probably have graphic nightmares of the funeral scene for days to come.

The story is all there. It has all the pieces to be really good, perhaps great even. A young daughter goes missing to be brought back into their lives years later, but not as the sixteen-year-old she ought to be, but as a survivor of mummification. Ancient Egyptian lore, sacredness, demonology, a solid twist, and the great Southwest. They had everything for an on-time take off, a shit load of mid-flight turbulence, and a hell of a save smooth landing by Captain Cronin. Could be the writing, the directing, or the performances, but stuff starts to fall apart fairly quickly. Most of which could have been forgiven, but the way they wrap everything up is far from a pretty bow.

The big screen definitely elevated the fright and fear; the sound was definitely loud, and the vibrations were (not) appreciated as they contributed to the eeriness. But in the end, we can’t say it’s worth the price of admission. Genre lovers might appreciate it, but most will benefit from waiting til streaming.

Jost Jump Scare Count: 13

Want to know more about our individual ratings of movies?
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Colony by Yeon Sang-ho

Letterboxd Description:

Professor Se-jeong is thrust into a bloody nightmare when a rapidly mutating virus is released during a biotech conference causing authorities to seal the facility. Trapped inside with no escape, Se-jeong along with a small group of survivors must fight to stay alive while the infected undergo horrific transformations.

FIRST AND FOREMOST - KICK ROCKS to producers and ALLLLLL our readers who are tired of hearing about horror. Don’t like it? TALK TO HOLLYWOOD.

Ahem. Sorry. Here we go:

Everyone can agree that Train to Busan, the 2016 South Korean action horror film directed by Yeon Sang-ho, truly changed the zombie game. It is an ALL TIMER (We use that term lightly around here. Get used to it).

SO with that in mind, we are STOKED to hear that Yeon is back with Colony, another zombie thriller that looks fun as HELL. See ya in theaters August 28th, bitches.

-Eri

Also Directed by Olivia Wilde:
Train to Busan (2016)
Revelations (2025)

Yap Session in Las Cruces: Film Festival, What We’ve Been Watching, and Harry Potter First Watch #72

🎧 Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
🎥 Watch this episode on YouTube

Josh and Eric record while Eric is in Las Cruces with poor internet, having forgotten his microphone, and while he is attending events tied to a film festival and a grand opening.

Eric describes interrupting Steve Zahn for a photo and later apologizing, while they joke about “everything everywhere all at once” jumpers and embarrassment as narcissism.

They discuss the grim state of New Mexico film production despite festival sponsorships, bird poop “good luck,” and what they’ve been watching: Eric’s first-time Harry Potter run (including an Alfonso Cuarón “ice/eyes” anecdote), Slow Horses season five, Your Friends and Neighbors, Project Hail Mary, and the new Mario movie, while Josh recommends The Pitt and DTF and mentions seeing the new Faces of Death and excitement for the Backrooms horror film.

Tune in next week for | Michael

Follow us on:
Instagram: @_sweetandcondensed_
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Youtube: @SweetAndCondensed

Yap Session in Las Cruces: Film Festival, What We’ve Been Watching, and Harry Potter First Watch #72

🎧 Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
🎥 Watch this episode on YouTube

Josh and Eric record while Eric is in Las Cruces with poor internet, having forgotten his microphone, and while he is attending events tied to a film festival and a grand opening.

Eric describes interrupting Steve Zahn for a photo and later apologizing, while they joke about “everything everywhere all at once” jumpers and embarrassment as narcissism.

They discuss the grim state of New Mexico film production despite festival sponsorships, bird poop “good luck,” and what they’ve been watching: Eric’s first-time Harry Potter run (including an Alfonso Cuarón “ice/eyes” anecdote), Slow Horses season five, Your Friends and Neighbors, Project Hail Mary, and the new Mario movie, while Josh recommends The Pitt and DTF and mentions seeing the new Faces of Death and excitement for the Backrooms horror film.

00:00 Back on the Pod
01:29 Celebrity Breakfast Selfie
03:26 Embarrassment and Narcissism
05:46 Film Industry Slump
07:07 Accidental Viewer Link
08:19 Festival Passes and Attire
09:23 Bird Shit and Shoe Lore
10:56 What We're Watching
11:15 First Time Harry Potter
12:30 Alfonso Cuaron Ice Story
14:17 Butterbeer and Potter Hype
14:36 Project Hail Mary and Mario
16:00 Mario Movie Ratings
16:48 Slow Horses Obsession
18:28 Apple TV Picks
19:44 The Pit and DTF
21:56 Bateman and Movie Gaps
23:51 Bdubs Last Meal
25:40 Faces of Death
27:50 Oscars and Backrooms
31:28 Wrap Up and Shoutouts

Subscribe to Sweet & Condensed! A weekly newsletter that lets you know at a glance if the latest box office releases are worth your time and money and what to expect if you decide to go.

Why you'll love it - Think all the movie love and fun, none of the snobbery. We're doing this because we love people, movies, and the magic that lives where they meet.

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Letterboxd:
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The Sweet and Condensed podcast is a Three Milks Media production. ⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Here’s non-photoshopped evidence:

Here’s what we have for you this week:

Concession Stand Scorecard: You, Me & Tuscany
Watchlist Worthy: Four incredible talented people over for a dramatic evening
ICYMI Pod: Rom-Com movie draft with Josh, Kelly, and Eric

This week’s movie - You, Me & Tuscany

Letterboxd Description:

She came for the pasta and got lost in the sauce.

A free-spirited American chef and reserved British lawyer embark on a whirlwind romance during a destination wedding in coastal Italy.

Best Watched With

Your yes, and friend who says yes to everything and finds themselves on a spontaneous adventure

End Credit Thoughts

We’ll be honest here. We didn’t know this movie existed until last week’s newsletter. We’ve fallen a touch behind on scheduling out the year, but to be honest, once again, it is so much fun to go into a movie blind and have it turn out to be a good time. You, Me & Tuscany knows what it is, has a vision, and executes. It’s not trying to be anything other than a rom-com, and it stays the course throughout.

Starts off as any good rom-com should: in New York City, living a dream—not yours but someone else’s—when the main character’s life is thrown off the rails, which leads to a serendipitous run-in with a beautifully handsome person that makes the main character take a risk and hope for high reward. It runs the classic rom-com tropes. The best friend who tries to speak sense into you, the goofy, laid-back local that becomes a confidant, and a series of decisions that get the main character further and further into stressful situations, but the glimpse of what life could be makes it impossible not to go with the flow.

The soundtrack was fire. A new best artist banger and a Mario track that brought us back IMMEDIATELY back to high school (or middle school for Eric). The tropes might be cliché, and the use of music might be a touch corny, but this is how rom-coms ought to feel. Reminiscent of feeling a real crush, and hoping it might work out, and experiencing the rush from thinking, “how is this my life?”

The performances are brought, and the casting was spot on. Halle Bailey as the lead, Anna, and Aziza Scott as Claire, we’re believable as best friends since forever. We knew they had been through it together, talk shit to each other daily, and, no matter what, would ride or die for one another. The love interests, Regé-Jean Page (Michael) and Lorenzo de Moor (Matteo), were charming and charismatic when the recipe called for it, and shitty and standoffish when the meal called for spice. And, yes, of course, there were plenty of muscles to eat up, and we’re not talking Zuppa di Cozze.

What really made the movie was the side characters. The supporting cast fulfilled the classic rom-com roles to a T. The over-the-top in law, the grandmother whose love you need to earn, the hard-shelled nougaty parent whose respect is not freely given, and the scandalous family member who’s sweet and endearing.

The movie starts off messy and stressful, and only gets messier and more stressful. But it’s warm, bright, and set mostly in Italy; rich culture, family drama, good food, and good wine. What’s not to love? Rom-com lovers rejoice, this is a solid one. More traditional than the one we got last week (both great for different audiences).

If you want a feel-good, easy watch, see this one in theaters. If romance is not your glass of vino, wait till streaming, and you’ll still enjoy it.

Want to know more about our individual ratings of movies?
Follow us on Letterboxd:
@justjoshperez
@ericharrison
@kellyharrison

The Invite by Olivia Wilde

Letterboxd Description:

It’ll be fun.

Joe and Angela’s marriage is on thin ice. When they invite their enigmatic upstairs neighbors for a dinner party, the night spirals into unexpected places.

Have Olivia Wilde really miss as a director? She did Booksmart and Don’t Worry Darling, the latter being the more questionable one. I loved Booksmart and I feel like most do. Personally, I Enjoyed Don’t Worry Darling. I only watched it once, but it’s left a good memory of the experience. Maybe because it seemed like everyone hated on Harry Styles’ performance, saying he was a turkey surrounded by eagle thespians, and I expected a much poorer performance because of it. I thought he held his own.

I digress. The Invite.

Wilde’s third feature film and it looks like a whole lot of fun. Seth Rogen is on a tear lately with the work he’s done with The Studio and Platonic. Both are fun, he’s incredible, and I believe he’ll show up and show out here. His counterparts are Penélope Cruz, Wilde, and Edward Norton—and they are the only actors and they are all stuck in an apartment for a dinner, and Rogen and Wilde’s relationship is on thin ice, and from the trailer it seems like weird shit starts to take place between the four of them? Small plot, one location, lots of drama. Super Sold. I’ll be there opening evening.

Added to my watchlist.

Also Directed by Olivia Wilde:
Booksmart (2019)
Don’t Worry Darling (2022)

Rom-Com Movie Draft: Spontaneously Creating Our Own Rom-Com #56

🎧 Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
🎥 Watch this episode on YouTube

In this episode, Kelly, Eric, and Josh decide to do an unprepared, no research rom-com movie draft with various categories like love interest, city setting, best friend, and soundtrack to create their own rom-com.

They also dive into a myriad of side conversations, ranging from judging each other’s eating habits to debate over classic films and TV shows. The episode wraps up with the announcement of a show swap, agreeing to watch ‘Gossip Girl’ and ‘Ted Lasso’ and ‘Shrinking’. With plenty of laughs, jokes, and a bit of chaos, this episode offers an entertaining blend of pop culture chat and personal anecdotes.

Tune in next week for | Lee Cronin’s The Mummy

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And either there, or somewhere else, like comment here, if you are currently watching a show weekly and/or anticipating the release of a movie! Or maybe we should even do a group rewatach of a classic. We don’t know, the sky is the limit though.

Here’s what we have for you this week:

Concession Stand Scorecard: The Drama
Watchlist Worthy: Youngest A24 Director yet

This week’s movie - The Drama

Letterboxd Description:

A happily engaged couple is put to the test when an unexpected turn sends their wedding week off the rails.

Best Watched With

Someone who can handle and enjoy dark humor, and that friend who laughs real loud when they get extremely uncomfortable.

End Credit Thoughts

Um. So. uhhhhh. Where do we start with this one…

We love a rom-com. We love a rom-com set in a city. Sure, we might prefer NYC rom-coms, but Boston has some classic hitters. Beantown is home of Fever Pitch (2005), Never Stop Wonderland (1998), and, just because we love it enough to mention this movie whenever we can—even if it’s got some other genres going like drama and coming-of-age—your not so classic-rom com Good Will Hunting (1997). Now we can add The Drama (2026) into the mix. Because there is romance. And there is comedy. But it is heavily seasoned with dark AF humor and, not to be on the nose, drama.

If you are someone who cannot handle dark humor, or watch movies with a major plot point that is a real life problem in the United States regarding violence and guns, this is very not for you. We hope this is not too much of a spoiler but if this movie has been on your radar, there is a good chance you spend a lot of time online and some things have already been revealed for you. If not, and you have never seen the trailer, then this remark gives you an idea of what you’re walking into and I don’t think you could guess what exactly this even means considering this movie is about the days leading up to a wedding.

The stars of this movie are the performances, the directing, and the editing. Let’s begin with the behemoth of talent that is Robert Patterson. Truly a generational actor we do not deserve. The amount of high grade, quality work he has put into his performances the last decade will make us consider putting Twilight into the United States of America archives. He is quirky, hilarious, emotionally off the rails, and honest as hell in this movie.

Him and Zendaya have chemistry and whatever the word is when two people are polar opposites and there’s a huge division that causes so much anxiety and stress but it is also synergetic. It doesn’t make sense, but it works so damn well. We forgot they are Zendaya and Robert Patterson, believed they are the characters, and the weirdest thing of all is that Patterson got to use his real accent for once. Shout out Alana Haim and Mamoudou Athie for being excellent supporting actors that match the leads step for step.

The story is told in a non-linear fashion and benefits from it. The movie might take place over a span of days, but the editing allows us to experience years in a way that isn’t forced but appropriately gives us context. The quick cuts in the edit either adds to the humor or contributes to the drama. It feels intentional and we benefit from it, rather than feeling like the movie is doing too much.

The story explores character and goodness. Do we place value and judgement based on things we did or thought about doing? Is premeditation without action worse than no thought with spontaneous action? Are we the sum of the worse thing we ever did, or not do but considered, or is it possible to love the present person despite past selves?

We applaud those who will go into this movie blind. We overheard some folks who did. They weren’t upset, just shellshocked. The story escalates quickly into dark territory with heavy tones and themes. Could you commit the rest of your life to someone who just admitted to the worst thing they did a half of their lifetime ago? The theater adds to the experience in that people who absolutely hootin and hollerin out loud to the absurd and outlandishness of the movie. It leans heavily into the dark humor, and if you can ride those waves, you can have as much fun as those in row H in our screening.

This movie could be enjoyed just as much streaming as far as the movie goes, but for the brave and the bold, a full theater watch is warranted. This is the kind of indie filmmaking we like to support to keep cinema alive.

Want to know more about our individual ratings of movies?
Follow us on Letterboxd:
@justjoshperez
@ericharrison
@kellyharrison

Backrooms by Kane Parsons

Letterboxd Description:

Everything must go.

A strange doorway appears in the basement of a furniture showroom.

COME ON! A 20 year-old YouTuber named Kane Parsons is directing what looks like a BANGER. The film, based on Parsons’ web series inspired by the “Backrooms” creepypasta 4chan thread (we don’t know what half of this means), releases widely at the end of May.

Looks EERIE AS HELL and has a promising cast. Chiwetel Ejiofor? Renate Reinsve? Come on — hop in and enjoy the ride with us! We don’t know what the hell its about but we are seated.

Also Directed by Kane Parsons:
The Backrooms (Found Footage) (2022)

Tune in next week for | You, Me & Tuscany

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Here’s what we covered in March in case you missed anything!

SCORECARDS

ICYMI PODCAST EPISODES

WATCHLIST WORTHY

In The Grey by Guy Ritchie

Dune: Part Three by Denis Villeneuve

Wild Horse Nine by Martin McDonagh

Subscribe now

Here’s what we have for you this week:

Concession Stand Scorecard: They Will Kill You
Watchlist Worthy: R Patt and Zendaya
Friends We Recommend: Josh on another episode with World Beyond Worlds

This week’s movie - They Will Kill You

Letterboxd Description:

Let them try.

A woman answers a help wanted ad to be a housekeeper in a mysterious high-rise in New York City, not realizing she is entering a community that has seen a number of disappearances over the years and may be under the grip of a Satanic cult.

Best Watched With

Siblings. Or someone in the same tax bracket as you.

End Credit Thoughts

This movie is not for anyone who does not mess with Satanic stuff or bloody brawls. We knew it would be violent. We knew it would be gory. Yes, all this was either written in the description or shown in the trailer. But we underestimated Asia Reeves’ (Zazie Beetz) tenacity to ensure, by any means necessary, that her sister (Myha'la) would be safe.

The highlight of the movie is its stylized approach. The choreography of the fights is innovative, and the over-the-top deaths, like getting blasted by a sawed-off double-barreled shotgun, propel the victim across the room, setting the tone of absurdity. Limbs are lost, and there’s a mix of Wes Craven amounts of blood with Quintin Tarantino blood-mist and splatters. There is definitely a vision of unrealistic physics and an expectation of belief suspension. So we needed to buckle up and let the ride take us where it wanted.

Zazzie Beetz is a force and a bright shining star of this show. Fueled by vengeance and regret, she puts high-octane gas into this performance. Patricia Arquette is great at putting on a very punchable attitude. Tom Felton was a great surprise in this kind of movie, and a good-hearted human who can also turn into a punchable face as soon as action is called.

The story is pretty cookie-cutter. Bad things happen, family is split, and years later, the main character finds out where her sibling is and vows to find them. But after the intro scene, we were thrown into a world where we discovered how things worked and what the hell was happening, little by little. We appreciate a good show, not tell exposition. With the use of fun, quippy flashbacks, outrageous fight sequences, and a Tekken-level throwdown in the third act, we were mostly entertained the whole time. The audience was engaged and laughing out loud at the audacity.

Those who are into this style and genre will love seeing this on a giant screen. But for the most part, if your theater tickets are $17+, this movie can be enjoyably thrown on the tube on a Saturday afternoon when it streams.

Josh Jump Scare Count: 4

Want to know more about our individual rankings of movies?
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Wild Horse Nine by Martin McDonagh

Letterboxd Description:

Shortly before the 1973 Chilean coup, CIA agents Chris and Lee are dispatched from Santiago to Easter Island by their bureau chief, MJ. Amongst the Island’s iconic statues, and as the longtime partners wrestle with their dark pasts and present conspiracies, Chris’s newfound bond with a pair of rebellious students threatens to send everyone’s trip to this remote paradise sideways.

MARTIN MCDONAGH AND SAM ROCKWELL ARE BACK!! I watched the trailer and I still am not too sure what is happening, but it doesn’t matter because, personally, this guy does not miss. And it’s set on Rapa Nui aka Easter Island, and what is going on out there?

I don’t know what to say other than I will be sat. I will be biased. I will say this movie is better than it is with no guilt whatsoever.

added to my watchlist

-jp :)

Also Directed by Martin McDonagh:
In Bruges (2008)
Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri (2017)
The Banshee of Inersherin (2022)

Worlds Beyond Worlds

Worlds Beyond Worlds: Mushrooms and De-Centering Our Selves

Listen now

2 months ago · 1 like · Patrick J. D'Silva, PhD

Patrick J. D’Silva introduces the Worlds Beyond Worlds podcast with the first of three conversations with former students from his course “Race, Religion, and Science Fiction,” focused on both the course’s themes and what it felt like to have autonomy in learning.

He reunites with Kim, Josh, and Gus, who share their academic backgrounds and why they enrolled, then discuss the course’s flexible structure—choosing readings from curated options, shaping discussions, and using alternative formats like podcasts—in contrast to rigid, top-down classes that can penalize students for life circumstances.

They describe how units and peer perspectives reframed topics like cyberpunk, disability, and worldbuilding, and they explain their final creative projects: Kim’s mushroom-based fiction, Josh’s non-linear story about identity, language, and land, and Gus’s narrative critiquing Christian worldviews and oppression.

Tune in next week for | The Drama

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Oscars 2026: Sinners! and a Rose Byrne Snub #71

🎧 Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
🎥 Watch this episode on YouTube

Josh Perez and Eric Harrison return after a hiatus to recap recent movie-world happenings and react to the Oscars, including a lively first Substack chat and confusion over ballots and voice-memo predictions.

They plug Sweet and Condense on Instagram/Substack, their newsletter and “favorite weekend watches,” and Patrick D’Silva’s new podcast . The discussion centers on Oscar wins and frustrations, especially Eric’s anger that Best Actress went to Jesse Buckley for Hamnet over his preferred Rose Byrne in If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, and on the criticism that Academy voters don’t have to watch nominees.

They praise Conan O’Brien’s hosting, Paul Thomas Anderson’s wins and speeches, and highlight Sinners’ strong night, including Autumn Durald Arkapaw becoming the first woman to win cinematography, while debating Michael B. Jordan’s Best Actor win over Timothée Chalamet.

Kelly briefly joins to share favorite theater experiences (notably Sinners and Frankenstein), and they close by predicting next year’s contenders like Project Hail Mary, Odyssey, and Digger.

01:15 Crew Updates Newsletter Plug
06:43 Best Actress Snub Debate
10:59 Rose Byrne Praise Hamnet Fight
14:48 Best Actor Timmy vs Michael B
27:10 Frankenstein Love Kelly Joins
29:08 Theater Highs and Rewatches
30:22 Scores That Hit Hard
31:53 Oscar Wins and Viral Moments
39:53 Sorry Baby Deserved More
41:39 Next Year Best Picture Bets
44:18 Supporting Actor Discourse
46:52 Why We Argue About Art

Subscribe to Sweet & Condensed! A weekly newsletter that lets you know at a glance if the latest box office releases are worth your time and money and what to expect if you decide to go.

Why you'll love it - Think all the movie love and fun, none of the snobbery. We're doing this because we love people, movies, and the magic that lives where they meet.

Support us on Patreon!
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Connect with us!

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⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@EricHarrison⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
@NewMexicoDrew

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The Sweet and Condensed podcast is a Three Milks Media production. ⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Here’s what we have for you this week:

Concession Stand Scorecard: Project Hail Mary
Watchlist Worthy: Denis Dune-it again
New Pod: OSCARS!!!!

This week’s movie - Project Hail Mary

Letterboxd Description:

Believe in the Hail Mary.

Science teacher Ryland Grace wakes up on a spaceship light years from home with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. As his memory returns, he begins to uncover his mission: solve the riddle of the mysterious substance causing the sun to die out. He must call on his scientific knowledge and unorthodox ideas to save everything on Earth from extinction… but an unexpected friendship means he may not have to do it alone.

Best Watched With

Fast friends, forced friends, and any buddies who will let you bump their fist.

End Credit Thoughts

Doesn’t matter how great a movie is, how cool it looks, or how much we love the actors. Someone will always pop up to say, “yeah, but it’s not realistic,” especially when it involves science and alien life. But we’re here to make the case that this might actually be the most realistic movie ever made.

The world is on the brink. Every living thing on Earth is about to be wiped out in horrific, catastrophic fashion unless we send our most intelligent human to charm the hell out of a mysterious alien rock species, somehow figure out how to communicate, collaborate, and save the planet. And if they pull it off? Instant global fame. Magazine covers. Front-page headlines. Movies made about them. This person must not only be highly capable but also insanely handsome, and someone out there is going to say it is unrealistic that we would send Ryan Fucking Gosling?! We’re not buying it.

It would be pretty rad if Ryan Gosling saved the world and played himself in a movie, because no one else is as charismatic, good-looking, and wholesome as he is.

Okay, we digress.

Project Hail Mary is the adaptation of Peter Weir’s novel with the same name, which was a finalist for the 2022 Hugo Award for Best Novel. It’s highly praised and celebrated, so the story was there. The characters are thought out and fleshed out. There’s a built-in audience. All the filmmakers had to do was not mess it up.

And they super duper did not mess up in the slightest.

The visuals are absolutely stunning. We spend a whole lot of time in space, and quite a bit of time feeling overwhelmed by the vast, ever-expanding universe while simultaneously being mesmerized by its beauty and existence. It’s as if the Northern lights and the deepest, coldest parts of the Pacific Ocean had a baby. Beautiful and also terrifying.

But it is not just the space scenes that are gorgeous. It’s everything. The spaceship, the science things, the earth facilities, whatever is on the screen, it is shot well with captivating coloring and vibrant visualization of things we know little to nothing about (not one of us is a STEM person. Shoutout 17 major changes in the humanities). The camera did a lot of heavy lifting, but the flutes, choral arrangements and strings had our smiles wide and our hearts in our throats in one of the most memorable scores we’ve heard in a long time.

Even though this movie is grounded in astrophysics, orbital mechanics, microbiology, and physics, it’s the chemistry between actors and puppets (that’s right, no CGI Rocky) that holds everything together. We get some amazing supporting cast performances from Sandra Hüller as Eva Stratt and Lionel Boyce (we first saw him in The Bear and loved him, so he was a treat when he came on screen) as Carl. And it’s no surprise that they work well with Ryan Gosling (Ryland Grace). He may be an absolute liability at the corner, but Gosling is so damn charming that we could probably have world peace by now if he wasn’t too busy making movies and being the best father to his two kids and husband to love of his life.

This is a quintessential Gosling movie. We see him at his best, showing us his range with comedic timing, heartbreaking emotions, and how fit a 45-year-old can look (there is no way we were going to leave out anatomy).

This movie is a much-needed story and timely for our day and age. End-of-the-world stories can be so cold, cautionary, and have us fearing the future. Project Hail Mary does not have us fearing the end, but believing in the best of humanity while offering alternative reactions to “the other.” Extraterrestrial life forms do not always have to be aggressors and imperialistic, depicting the worst parts of the human race. They don’t even have to like humanoids. This movie envisions something entirely new and shows us our strength and resilience in a humble, wholesome way.

This is our first full movie of 2026. Be prepared to be held in thought, to laugh, and to cry, both tears of sadness and tears of joy. A must see in IMAX or whatever the largest screen is with the loudest sound. It is worth every dollar. It may not be the best movie we see this year, but it is a good-ass movie that gets close.

Josh Jump Scare Count: 2
Classic Ryan Gosling Yelp: 2

Want to know more about our individual rankings of movies?
Follow us on Letterboxd:
@justjoshperez
@ericharrison
@kellyharrison
@newmexicodrew

Dune: Part Three by Denis Villeneuve

Letterboxd Description:

The epic conclusion.

As Emperor, Paul Atreides grapples with the consequences of his rise to power as political conspiracies and a galaxy-spanning holy war threaten the future he alone can foresee.

Timmy doing a war chant, R Patt looking like the biggest intergalactic menace, and the seeming return of Duncan Idaho. What more could we ask for in the finale in what will probably be one of the best sci-fi trilogies of all time?

Also Directed by Denis Villeneuve:
There’s just too many to list

Oscars 2026: Sinners! and a Rose Byrne Snub #71

🎧 Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
🎥 Watch this episode on YouTube

Josh Perez and Eric Harrison return after a hiatus to recap recent movie-world happenings and react to the Oscars, including a lively first Substack chat and confusion over ballots and voice-memo predictions.

They plug Sweet and Condense on Instagram/Substack, their newsletter and “favorite weekend watches,” and Patrick D’Silva’s new podcast . The discussion centers on Oscar wins and frustrations, especially Eric’s anger that Best Actress went to Jesse Buckley for Hamnet over his preferred Rose Byrne in If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, and on the criticism that Academy voters don’t have to watch nominees.

They praise Conan O’Brien’s hosting, Paul Thomas Anderson’s wins and speeches, and highlight Sinners’ strong night, including Autumn Durald Arkapaw becoming the first woman to win cinematography, while debating Michael B. Jordan’s Best Actor win over Timothée Chalamet.

Kelly briefly joins to share favorite theater experiences (notably Sinners and Frankenstein), and they close by predicting next year’s contenders like Project Hail Mary, Odyssey, and Digger.

Tune in next week for | They Will Kill You

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2026 Academy Awards Ballot

425KB ∙ PDF file

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Boom bada bing! We definitely need a real design department, but, until then, we'll make due with what we got :D

Download

Also, one of the Harrisons fell ill, so, as much as our bullying Kelly into doing Reminders of Him for the scorecard actually worked, in the end, it did not. We had to pivot. Ironically, the movie is Harrison Catnip.

Here’s what we have for you this week:

Concession Stand Scorecard: Undertone
Watchlist Worthy: Guy Ritchie’s latest
New Pod: Patrick D’Silva, PhD, back on the pod
Friends We Recommend: Patrick launched his podcast!

This week’s movie - Undertone

Letterboxd Description:

It wants to be heard.

The host of a popular paranormal podcast becomes haunted by terrifying recordings mysteriously sent her way.

Best Watched With

Your podcasting friend, your podcast co-host, a your religiously curious friend.

End Credit Thoughts

We have some good news and some bad news. And like our good friend Eddie says, bad news first always.

The writing is where the movie suffers the most. We don’t always need everything laid out for us through dialogue, and the podcast recording scenes particularly struggled hard. The co-hosts, Evy (Nina Kiri) and Justin (Adam DiMarco) did not have the chemistry that led us to believe this is a popular all-things-spooky podcast. Their podcast show came off lackluster and a stereotypical used-car-salesperson energy—you like selling things more than liking what you’re actually selling. The story has heart, but the writing was in need of some innovation and creativity that went beyond playing childhood songs in reverse and the “I don’t want to finish this/Yes, we’ve came this far/Oh no we shouldn’t have done that” resolution.

Okay. Now that we got that out of the way, and situated the rest amongst the movies weakest part. The execution of this movie is actually creative and pretty damn cool. Hear us out.

It reminded us of last years’s Presence, the movie that is shot entirely from the phantom’s POV, with each segment being one long take. The story was fine, the writing was actually sub par, but the execution of how they told story was a big swing with high risks. Undertone feels similar.

Even though there are multiple characters, we only see two actors and hear the rest over phone calls. And one of the actors is the main character, Evy’s mom who’s severely ill and unconscious. Evy goes to a party and the doctors, but we, as the audience, don’t actually leave the house. It all takes place in one location, Evy’s home, a few rooms, and a few voices. It feels like a small budget movie making the most of every dollar to achieve horror, which they do pretty damn well despite their limitations.

The use of sound is vital. While podcasting, Evy uses noise cancelling headphones which we experience when she puts them on. It is a cool experience, until we were dying to hear what the hell was happening in the house but couldn’t because Evy still had her headphones on.

Then, there’s the use of spatial and stereo audio. The audience is hearing things not just from the screen, but from the side, behind, slight forward and to the right, all around the theater. There were times when we didn’t know if it was the movie or just a loud audience member.

The use of sound and the creative swing for the fences is what makes this movie worth seeing in theaters. Is it a good movie? Divisive. Walking out of a full theater, the chatter consisted of people who loved it, hated it, “I thought it was cool, but not scary at all” was one direct quote, but, nonetheless, people we’re discussing the experience. Sure, the writing needs a serious makeover. However, it can be watched like an ode to the OG Paranormal Activity, The Blair Witch Project, and the other found footage films where people were forced to be savvy to extend the budget and squeeze every ounce of juice of what they had in front of them.

It’s a slow burn, it takes a while to get to the actual horror aspects of the movie. So if you are a horror fan, but do not want something that builds up, skip this one. Also skip if you want your mind to be blown by an amazing original story. But if you enjoy creative experiments and good use of sound design and technical skills, watch in the theater.

Last thing, when editing stereo audio tracks, the right and left sound usually mirrors one another. We felt like this was intentionally used in the camera work. They used mirrors a few times where it felt like we were bouncing from the left to the right of rooms/the house, mirroring each other…but slight off…like one was showing reality and the other was showing horrifying things that looked like reality, blurring what was real and what wasn’t.

Want to know more about our individual rankings of movies?
Follow us on Letterboxd:
@justjoshperez
@ericharrison
@kellyharrison
@newmexicodrew

In The Grey by Guy Ritchie

We finally got a trailer for the latest Guy Ritchie flick. I love Guy Ritchie films. And what I mean by “I love Guy Ritchie films” is that Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels changed my movie-watching brain chemistry and I’ve been chasing a high that I have yet to feel since my first Snatch viewing. I have not loved his latest movies, but I continue to show up for my Guy, hoping he will deliver a cinematic rush that will have me evangelizing Ritchie films again.

This one has some of his recent usual suspect collaborators—Henry Cavil, Eiza Gonzalez, and Jake Gyllenhaal—but In The Grey is introducing his first team up with Rosamund Pike who is an absolute scene stealer. When she’s called, she delivers. The history books will read one day about how humanity has made some grave mistakes, and one of them being not giving her the Oscar for her performance in Gone Girl.

I don’t want to hype this one up too much. I want to keep the expectations low. But I can’t help myself. I’ll be there opening day with my gold pan expecting to find precious minerals, with a good chance of being the fool who falls for another mid movie BUT if Mr. Ritchie happens to read this, know if I am anything, I am loyal.

When a ruthless despot steals a billion-dollar fortune, a covert team of elite operatives who live in the global shadows, as comfortable wielding power and influence as they are automatic weapons and high explosives, is sent to steal it back on what would be for anyone else a suicide mission. What begins as an impossible heist gets much worse, spiraling into an all-out war of strategy, deception and survival.

Also Directed by Guy Ritchie:
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
Snatch (2000)
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024)

Race, Religion, and Science Fiction: Co-Created Learning, unEssays, and the Power of Film #70

🎧 Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
🎥 Watch this episode on YouTube

Josh interviews Patrick D’Silva, PhD, about his graduate special-topics course “Race, Religion, and Science Fiction,” developed from an upper-level “Religion and Science Fiction” class and expanded to foreground race alongside gender, sexuality, and disability through units on Lord of the Rings, Star Wars/Star Trek, Indigenous Futurism, Afrofuturism/Africanfuturism, cyberpunk (including Neuromancer), monsters (Frankenstein), and Jediism as a fiction-based religious movement.

Patrick’s Substack/podcast project “Worlds Beyond Worlds” is now live, where he will publish interviews with students about their projects.

Patrick launched his Podcast, and has been writing the occasional essay, on his Substack Worlds Beyond Worlds!

Patrick J. D’Silva writes about spaceships and dragons (among other things) at Worlds Beyond Worlds. An Islamicist specializing in Persian Sufism by training, he has taught in Philosophy and Religious Studies departments at several universities in Colorado. He lives in Boulder, CO, with his family.

Episode two of his current series interviewing students about the course and their final projects drops today. And I am one of the students in episode 2! If you are reading this after 6 AM MST, it should be populated below :)

Worlds Beyond Worlds

Home for explorations of how religion, race, and speculative fiction (sci-fi and fantasy) all intersect to create different visions of how to be human.

By Patrick J. D'Silva, PhD

Tune in next week for | Project Hail Mary

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Happy Monday, Sweet and Condensed Fam!

In this latest episode of Sweet & Condensed, we are moving beyond the screen to explore how the stories we watch—and the ways we learn about them—can fundamentally reshape our reality. I sat down again with Patrick D’Silva, PhD, from World Beyond Worlds to discuss his well-loved course: Race, Religion, and Science Fiction.

As we often say here, movies are magic: they change things (shoutout bell hooks), orient us, and help us find a sense of “home” within ourselves. In this episode, Patrick and I dive into why science fiction and fantasy are the perfect vessels for asking the questions:

• Defining the Human: What does it mean to be alive, and what happens when we encounter “the other”?

• Speculative Futures: Exploring the power of Afrofuturism and Indigenous Futurism to center the experiences of those often left out of traditional narratives.

• Fandom as Faith: From the rise of Jediism to the “religious” atmosphere of Comic-Con, we look at how fictional worlds provide real-world orientation.

The “unEssay”

One of the most inspiring parts of this conversation is Patrick’s approach to pedagogy. Rejecting the traditional “lecture and repeat” model, he grants his students immense autonomy, allowing them to choose how they are evaluated through creative projects or “unEssays”.

“You’re not human workings or human readings or human producers... you’re human beings. You exist. And we can change education so that we honor that.”

We discuss some of the incredible student work born from this freedom, including:

• An illustrated version of the journal from Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower.

• Audio tracks designed to evoke the gothic horror vibes of short stories.

• A cookbook inspired by speculative fiction.

From Arrakis to the Arctic Circle

Whether we’re discussing the “sensorial experience” of seeing Dune: Part Two in a theater or Patrick’s recent first-time read of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the core message remains the same: we are all smarter together than we are alone.

Race, Religion, and Science Fiction: Co-Created Learning, unEssays, and the Power of Film #70

🎧 Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
🎥 Watch this episode on YouTube

Josh interviews Patrick D’Silva, PhD, about his graduate special-topics course “Race, Religion, and Science Fiction,” developed from an upper-level “Religion and Science Fiction” class and expanded to foreground race alongside gender, sexuality, and disability through units on Lord of the Rings, Star Wars/Star Trek, Indigenous Futurism, Afrofuturism/Africanfuturism, cyberpunk (including Neuromancer), monsters (Frankenstein), and Jediism as a fiction-based religious movement.

Patrick describes a student-autonomy model where students help shape the syllabus, choose evaluation methods, and can submit response papers as podcasts and final “unEssays” as creative projects (e.g., illustrated journals, roleplaying games, cookbooks, audio tracks, paintings), including course examples like a Wakanda zine and Parable of the Sower-inspired journaling.

He connects this pedagogy to flexibility and compassion shaped by his teaching, parenting a child with special needs, and the pandemic, and explains using film/TV because students are increasingly oriented to visual media, which also supports immersion, participation, and representation.

Patrick’s Substack/podcast project “Worlds Beyond Worlds” is now live, where he will publish interviews with students about their projects.

Website:

Worlds Beyond Worlds

Home for explorations of how religion, race, and speculative fiction (sci-fi and fantasy) all intersect to create different visions of how to be human.

By Patrick J. D'Silva, PhD

Spotify:

Apple Podcasts:

Timestams:

02:29 Course Origins
06:39 Student Led Syllabus
08:22 Creative unEssays
17:37 Holistic Learning
26:24 Why Film And TV
33:19 Teaching Without Ego
41:36 Representation On Screen
49:56 Improvising In The Classroom
55:34 Orientation And Meaning
56:30 Wrap Up And Plugs

Subscribe to Sweet & Condensed! A weekly newsletter that lets you know at a glance if the latest box office releases are worth your time and money and what to expect if you decide to go.

Why you'll love it - Think all the movie love and fun, none of the snobbery. We're doing this because we love people, movies, and the magic that lives where they meet.

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@kellyharrison

The Sweet and Condensed podcast is a Three Milks Media production. ⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Here’s what we have for you this week:

Concession Stand Scorecard: The Bride!
ICYMI Pod: Horror movie draft

This week’s movie - The Bride!

Letterboxd Description:

Here comes the mother f*%#ing bride!

A lonely Frankenstein travels to 1930s Chicago to ask groundbreaking scientist Dr. Euphronious to create a companion for him. The two revive a murdered young woman and The Bride is born. But what ensues is beyond what either of them imagined.

Best Watched With

Anyone who loves love (or sex, or violence - best if it’s all of the above).

End Credit Thoughts

Getting two brand-new Frankenstein movies released within a year of each other wasn’t on our bingo card, but Maggie Gyllenhaal delivers a capital-F Film with her sophomore outing as writer and director. The writing, acting, and general chaos on screen reminded us of a big Broadway production (in the best way). Between the standout performances and the bold stylistic choices, Gyllenhaal clearly has something to say.

The movie is set in the 1930s, and the Bonnie and Clyde meets Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde vibes are strong. The noir backdrop is accentuated by swooning orchestral strings that rise and fall with the action on screen. Highly stylized monologues and dance numbers blur the line between what’s actually happening and the warped reality of Frankenstein and the Bride.

Christian Bale as Frankenstein’s Monster is a delight. He plays a tortured immortal soul so convincingly that you can’t help but feel his pain, his longing, and his devotion to his bride. It’s all rounded out by how surprisingly funny and endearing he is throughout the film. But it’s Jessie Buckley (The Bride) who walks away with the acting crown here. She shifts between characters and accents with expert precision. We hope that since she basically played three roles she got paid three times as much. Every penny would be deserved.

Genre-wise, this movie has a little bit of everything. There’s action, crime, drama, gore, a deeply flawed love story, and a strong message about women and how they’re treated. Outside of a few familiar ingredients used in clever ways, you won’t find much of the original Frankenstein story here. But this modern direction is a weird, fever-dream blast.

Gyllenhaal is clearly making a statement about how women are viewed and treated in society, and viewers should know going in that there are scenes involving violence toward women that may be difficult to watch. Everyone’s tolerance will be different, but for us it never pulled the story off course. The movie is wild and weird, but Gyllenhaal proves she has a steady hand guiding the whole thing.

As much fun as we had, this one doesn’t demand the big screen. Save the ticket money and stream it at home when it lands.

Want to know more about our individual rankings of movies?
Follow us on Letterboxd:
@justjoshperez
@ericharrison
@kellyharrison
@newmexicodrew

Horror Movie Draft: Creating Our Own Horror Movies #65

🎧 Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
🎥 Watch this episode on YouTube

Josh, Eric, and Kelly go head-to-head, building their own theoretical horror movies by drafting from nine specific categories. The episode is filled with chaotic energy, accusations of cheating , and a deep-dive analysis of why Christian Venegas doesn’t watch movies.

Let us know who had the best horror movie draft in the comments on Spotify, YouTube, Instagram, social media, email, or text message.

Draft Categories

The hosts built their movies by drafting picks in the following 9 rounds:

• Director

• Setting

• First Character to Die

• Final Girl (or Survivor)

• Two Ensemble Characters

• Soundtrack

• Villain (Outside the Horror Genre)

• Horror Subgenre

• The Twist

Tune in next week for | Reminders of Him

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Youtube: @SweetAndCondensed

Happy Birthday to our February Sweet Friend! 🎂

Greg 2/8 - Favorite Movie: Children of Men

Tell us your birthday & favorite movie here: Sweet Friends: Birthday and Fav Movie

Here’s what we covered in February in case you missed anything!

SCORECARDS

ICYMI PODCAST EPISODES & RED CAP ESSAY

WATCHLIST WORTHY

Masters of the Universe by Travis Knight

Obsession by Curry Barker

Toy Story 5 by Andrew Stanton

Scary Movie 6 by Michael Tiddes

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Here’s what we have for you this week:

Concession Stand Scorecard: Scream 7
Watchlist Worthy: THE WAYANS ARE BACK
ICYMI Pod: Horror movie draft

This week’s movie - Scream 7

Letterboxd Description:

Burn it all down.

When a new Ghostface killer emerges in the quiet town where Sidney Prescott has built a new life, her darkest fears are realized as her daughter becomes the next target. Determined to protect her family, Sidney must face the horrors of her past to put an end to the bloodshed once and for all.

Best Watched With

Friends who love slashers and were alive when Scream came out in 1996.

End Credit Thoughts

There aren’t too many modern franchises that have hit the seven-film mark, but the Scream series just keeps marching on. Our expectations were low, but our excitement spiked when we saw concession lines filled with elder millennial moms and their teen daughters, all rocking Ghostface shirts. Maybe — just maybe — they’d strike gold on the seventh trip back to this same well.

A few of us hadn’t seen Scream 6 (or 5… or 4), and no one felt lost. Yes, there are nods to the NYC killing spree from the sixth film and plenty of returning characters, but nothing left the less-initiated behind. That said, the only true prerequisite viewing here is the 1996 original. And while we’re not sure if the writers thought they were being clever, the shot-for-shot recreations and identical needle drops from the first film felt more cheap than cheeky.

The original ensemble — Nev Campbell as Sidney, Courteney Cox as Gale, and Matthew Lillard as Stu — brought exactly the energy we’ve come to expect. We’re happy to report that Lillard can still tap into that unhinged Stu chaos three decades later. The new generation (literally the offspring of some original characters) holds its own, but no real standouts emerged.

This franchise is built on a sturdy foundation of wild plot twists, gnarly deaths, and those big Ghostface motive reveals. Credit where it’s due: the kills here are inventive and the gore is cranked to eleven. The story, though? That’s where we started squinting. Some of the dialogue and character choices are so painfully on-the-nose that we couldn’t tell if it was intentional. Sort of like a campy inside joke for die-hard fans. That’s the generous read. The less generous one is that the script...isn’t great.

Hot take aside, we still had a blast. There are legit jump scares, outrageous deaths, callbacks, and moments so absurd the entire theater burst out laughing. If you’re a die-hard, grab your friends and head to the theater. If you’re more of a casual (like the punk rocker among us who’s skipped nearly half the franchise), this one will do just fine as a future at-home stream.

Want to know more about our individual rankings of movies?
Follow us on Letterboxd:
@justjoshperez
@ericharrison
@kellyharrison
@newmexicodrew

Scary Movie 6 by Michael Tiddes

We just watched the trailer premiere before Scream 7…

GOOD SCARY MOVIE IS BACK!

The Wayan brothers are back to producing and writing a Scary Movie since 2002. From what we saw—and the inclusion of some of our enjoyed movies in the past decade—we are hyped and love that the franchise is back in the original and very capable hands. The trailer will be releasing online soon.

Letterboxd Description:

The sixth installment in the franchise. Plot TBA.

Also Directed by Michael Tiddes:
Haunted House (2013)
Fifty Shades of Black (2016)
Naked (2017)

Horror Movie Draft: Creating Our Own Horror Movies #65

🎧 Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
🎥 Watch this episode on YouTube

Josh, Eric, and Kelly go head-to-head, building their own theoretical horror movies by drafting from nine specific categories. The episode is filled with chaotic energy, accusations of cheating , and a deep-dive analysis of why Christian Venegas doesn’t watch movies.

Let us know who had the best horror movie draft in the comments on Spotify, YouTube, Instagram, social media, email, or text message.

Draft Categories

The hosts built their movies by drafting picks in the following 9 rounds:

• Director

• Setting

• First Character to Die

• Final Girl (or Survivor)

• Two Ensemble Characters

• Soundtrack

• Villain (Outside the Horror Genre)

• Horror Subgenre

• The Twist

Tune in next week for | The Bride

Follow us on:
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TikTok: @SweetAndCondensed
Youtube: @SweetAndCondensed