The Upside Down closes for good — and it gets weird on the way out.

On this episode of Thumb War, Jason and Rachel review Stranger Things Episodes 5–8, aka the series finale. We dig into what works, what absolutely doesn’t, and why a finale that’s often frustrating still manages to land emotionally.

From baffling monster choices and zero-stakes action to genuinely touching character farewells, this is a deep dive into an ending that’s messy, modern, nostalgic, and oddly effective.

Spoilers throughout.

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This week on Thumb War, we take on Christy (2025), the true-story boxing biopic chronicling the rise — and near-destruction — of trailblazing fighter Christy Martin.

Sydney Sweeney delivers a ferocious performance in a film that doesn’t flinch from the realities of domestic abuse, control, and isolation, while still honouring Christy’s resilience and legacy.

A tough watch. A necessary one.

Big thumbs up.

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Today we finally get around to tackling Bugonia (2025), Yorgos Lanthimos’ strange, funny, disturbing sci-fi thriller about conspiracy thinking, corporate power, and what happens when the paranoia might actually be right.

Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons deliver two of the best performances of the year in a movie that demands to be seen before it’s discussed.

Go in blind.

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We’re revisiting Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) — the Star Wars movie everyone shrugged at… and maybe shouldn’t have.

JD, Rachel and Jeshua break down why Ron Howard’s takeover actually works, why Alden Ehrenreich nails a younger Han Solo, and why Donald Glover’s Lando deserves his own cinematic future. From pure fan service to sharp dialogue and surprisingly great casting, Solo feels better now than it did on release.

Was this movie a victim of Star Wars fatigue? Or did audiences just miss the point?

Spoiler alert: we’re firmly on Team Solo.

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We start with a sad goodbye to Cosmo — a very good, very food-motivated boy — and somehow end up talking about frat houses at sunrise, parental panic spirals, and why Quentin Tarantino absolutely deserves to catch a few strays.

Along the way:

This is the kind of episode that only works off-feed — looser, longer, more honest, and way more chaotic.

If you’ve ever wondered what Thumb War sounds like before we tighten things up for public consumption… this is it.

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The finale of It: Welcome to Derry is here, and JD and Rachel have… thoughts.

In this Thumb War episode, we recap and react to Episode 8 — a finale stuffed with Pennywise theatrics, confusing lore, magic solutions, timeline gymnastics, and zero interest in explaining itself. We debate what works, what absolutely doesn’t, and why filming this in Canada without Pennywise on skates should be a criminal offense.

If you love horror vibes, messy finales, and yelling “WHY?” at your TV, this one’s for you.

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This week on Thumb War, we revisit Bad Santa (2003) — Terry Zwigoff’s filthy, funny, and surprisingly tender Christmas classic.

Jason & Rachel dig into the Director’s Cut vs the Theatrical version, studio interference, and why Billy Bob Thornton’s Willie T. Soke somehow becomes one of the strangest “found family” characters in holiday movie history.

Along the way, we celebrate:

A holiday staple in this house. Not safe for work. Definitely not safe for kids.

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This week on Thumb War, we’re deep into Stranger Things Season 5, breaking down Episodes 3 and 4 — The Turnbow Trap and The Sorcerer.

We talk Frank Darabont’s direction, the Upside Down’s increasingly flexible rules, Hopper going full action hero, and whether the show’s massive cast is finally working against itself. Plus: Karen Wheeler MVP discourse, Joyce complaints, Erica chaos, and a few extremely dumb (but fun) theories.

Spoilers throughout.

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Episode 7 Had Us Yelling at the TV | Welcome to Derry Review

In this episode of Thumb War, we review Welcome to Derry Episode 7 (2025) — an hour of television that somehow delivers peak Pennywise and peak frustration at the same time.

We talk:

If you’re wondering whether Welcome to Derry is sticking the landing — or quietly falling apart — Episode 7 gives us plenty to argue about.

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Episode 6 of Welcome to Derry finally feels like the show hitting full stride.

On this episode of Thumb War, we break down the darkest chapter yet — from Pennywise’s unsettling origin story to Ingrid’s role in feeding the horror beneath Derry. Jason and Rachel debate the black-and-white flashbacks, the show’s obsession with daddy issues, and whether this episode recontextualizes everything we’ve seen so far.

If you’ve been waiting for Welcome to Derry to fully deliver on its promise, Episode 6 might be the turning point.

Spoilers ahead for Episode 6.

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