Companion (what to expect)

Scorecard, Fassbender+Blanchett, new pod

Just Josh Perez

Kelly

Sarah Worland

, and 3 others

Jan 31, 2025

Who else feels the struggle of wanting to watch all the new movies and shows but also rewatch all your favorite movies and shows (Josh currently has Severance on the tv–again–as we write this)? So many movies, so little time. 🥲

Here’s what we have for you this week:

Concession Stand Scorecard: Companion
Watchlist Worthy: Would you kill your lover for your loyalty?
New Pod Drop: Kelly, Eric, & Josh talk their Movie Swap

We go to the movies every week to let you know if the latest films are worth the price of admission and what you can expect. Always spoiler free.

This week’s movie - Companion

Letterboxd Description:

Find someone made just for you.
After being invited to a weekend trip at her new beau’s lakeside estate, Iris uncovers a terrible secret.

Best Watched With

Your friends who loved Scream and Ex Machina and uses ChatGPT to respond to texts.

End credit thoughts

If Terminator had a spinoff made for the girlies, Companion is it. Director Drew Hancock makes a confident debut with this psychological thriller/sci-fi horror that delivers tension, black humor, and some satisfying genre subversions.

Jack Quaid solidifies himself as Hollywood’s go-to toxic misogynist–hearing him use the pet name "Beep Boop" gave us the urge to cut off our ears. Sophie Thatcher absolutely owns the screen, carrying the movie effortlessly, and proving she’s destined to rule the horror/thriller space for years to come.

Though Companion leans on classic slasher tropes—the killer taking their time, the typical “any last words?” moments—it keeps things fresh with clever twists and a fun cast. There’s just the right amount of black humor, reminiscent of the best entries in the Scream series. And while we’ve seen plenty of cringeworthy AI-companion movies, this one succeeds by taking a different route. It’s not AI-gone-rogue—it’s a reminder that humans are the problem, men can't be trusted, and sex with robots is probably not a good idea.

The visuals, soundtrack, and audience laughter elevate the experience, making this is a solid theater watch if you like slashers and robots and people dying in the woods. If you don't like those things this, hang around and wait to rent this one.

Watch the trailer here

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A movie one of us added to our Letterboxd watchlist this week.

Black Bag by Steven Soderbergh

We are getting not one movie directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by David Koepp in 2025 (Presence), we are getting TWO. Soderbergh has done low budget indie films to Hollywood blockbusters; he has range and is showing it this year. Presence is a supernatural, psychological thriller shot from the POV of the entity the whole time—a unique, fun twist on the traditional haunted house ghost story done with a $2 million dollar budget. Black Bags’s budget was 30x. With the creative chops and brilliance of Soderbergh and $60 million to play with, I am looking forward to what kind of movie magic he’ll bring to the silver screen.

And he’s brought some first stringers to the project: Cate Blanchett, Michael Fassbender, Pierce Brosnan, Naomie Harris, and Tom Burke.

Added to my watchlist.

-JP :)

Letterboxd Description:

It takes a spy to hunt one.
When his beloved wife Kathryn is suspected of betraying the nation, intelligence agent George Woodhouse faces the ultimate test – loyalty to his marriage or his country.

Watch the trailer here

Also Directed by Steven Soderbergh:
Ocean’s 11-13 (2001, 2004, 2007)
Erin Brockovich (2000)
Logan Lucky (2017)

American Psycho & Perks of Being A Wallflower: Movie Swap #049

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

Kelly and Eric grapple with the aftermath of a potentially show-canceling comment from the previous episode. They dive into an array of topics including childhood antics involving summoning Candyman with friends, high school nostalgia, and parenting during podcasting.

The discussion moves to their recent movie swap where Kelly, initially hesitant, shares her newfound appreciation for 'Perks of Being a Wallflower,' and Josh experiences the wild ride of 'American Psycho' for the first time. They also delve into genre expectations, personal connections to films, and preview upcoming movie swaps featuring 'Inglourious Basterds' and 'Clueless'.

The episode is filled with light-hearted banter, thoughtful reflections, and spontaneous tangents, making for a thoroughly engaging listen.