A year of loud releases and louder opinions deserves a clear-eyed reckoning. I pull back the curtain on my most disappointing theatrical watches and ask why big IP, glossy remakes, and awards-season polish still left me so cold. From the opening wobble of a critically adored war epic to the baffling character choices that derail tension, I trace where promising ideas lose their footing.
I dig into representation with care, using Teyana Taylor’s awards momentum to examine the kinds of roles Black women are too often celebrated for, and why nuance matters more than ever. Then I hit the middle of the list: a first-date thriller that vanishes from memory, a new Running Man that gestures at politics without bite, and a Snow White drowned by culture-war noise when its simpler flaw is boredom. Horror fans won’t be shocked to hear me press the difference between “wrong” and “stupid” choices in Wolf Man, and action diehards may bristle as I call Ballerina what it is: kinetic, competent, and curiously empty.
I also talk auteur aesthetics versus emotional ignition in The Phoenician Scheme, and whether Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 serves fans or strands them. Megan 2.0’s genre pivot raises a fair question: can a franchise reinvent itself without losing its soul? Finally, I land on The Roses, a remake that mistakes toxicity for comedy and reconciliation for catharsis. Stories shape norms; if a premise can’t be updated with ethical clarity, maybe it shouldn’t be revived. Along the way, you’ll hear candid takes, some heat, and a few pleas for better character logic.
If this kind of honest film talk is your thing, hit follow, share with a friend, and leave a quick review telling me your most overrated movie of 2025. I’ll read the spiciest ones on a future episode.
All episodes of the podcast can be found on our website: https://booksvsmovies.buzzsprout.com/share
Connect with me:Instagram | Threads | Bookshop | Goodreads | Blog
