🎬 Mostly Film

This week on Mostly Film, we’re diving headfirst into another round of LIST IT or NIX IT, where the trailers are wild, the opinions are strong, and the titles alone deserve awards. From the toe-tappingly strange If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You to the chilling Cold Storage and the mysterious Bad Man, we decide what’s worth adding to the Letterboxd watchlist — and what’s going straight to the cinematic recycle bin.

Then, in What We’ve Been Watching, Jonathan wrangles dinosaurs in Jurassic World: Rebirth, wrestles with Dangerous Animals, and relives childhood nostalgia with The Wild Thornberrys Movie. JP gets suburban and suspicious with SubUrbia and The Talented Mr. Ripley, while also revisiting the spy-thriller Black Bag.

Finally, in The News, we break down the latest Hollywood shake-ups, box office buzz, and casting curveballs — because if there’s one thing the movie industry guarantees, it’s that the drama never stays on screen.

🎬 Cruise vs. DiCaprio: Interview with the Vampire & Shutter Island

This week on Mostly Film, we’re sinking our teeth into two unforgettable performances — Tom Cruise’s bloodthirsty Lestat in Interview with the Vampire and Leonardo DiCaprio’s mind-bending Teddy Daniels in Shutter Island. It's a showdown of two Hollywood heavyweights stepping far outside their comfort zones — with fangs, flashbacks, and full-on psychological meltdowns.

We dive into the behind-the-scenes casting drama, including Anne Rice’s famous freakout over Cruise, Leo’s emotional marathon to bring Shutter Island to life, and all the ways these roles helped reshape their careers. Plus, we explore the themes of immortality, identity, trauma, and the thin line between sanity and spectacle.

Is Cruise’s Lestat the perfect predator? Did DiCaprio break our brains (in the best way)? Come for the facts, stay for the hot takes — and find out who comes out on top in this spooky, cerebral face-off.

🎙️ Mostly Film:

This week on Mostly Film, we’re back with a full slate of movie talk — from upcoming trailers to billion-dollar blockbusters to what we’ve actually been watching (yes, Countdown keeps coming up).

📝 LIST IT or NIX IT
We’re judging movie trailers like our watchlist depends on it. Should we List or Nix these upcoming releases? We’re talking Ella McCay, Zootopia 2, Blue Moon, GOAT, and more. Spoiler: not everything makes the cut.

🎬 What We’ve Been Watching
All eyes (and hearts) are on The Life of Chuck — we dig into the emotional, layered storytelling of this early 2025 release. With Mike Flanagan at the helm and a surprising tonal shift from his horror roots, we talk performances, themes, and whether it sticks the landing. Plus, some quick hits on Countdown and a few other recent rewatches.

🗞️ Movie News Roundup
From Lilo & Stitch smashing the box office to Adam Sandler breaking Netflix (again) with Happy Gilmore 2, and the Fantastic Four reboot actually being... good?! Plus, Disney's AI face-doubling experiment gets shut down — we dig into all of it.

Come for the hot takes, stay for the Letterboxd chaos. It’s another packed episode of Mostly Film!

🎙️ Mostly Film Presents: Cruise vs DiCaprio — Top Gun & Romeo + Juliet

This week on Mostly Film, we’re putting two iconic movie star performances head-to-head: Tom Cruise in Top Gun (1986) and Leonardo DiCaprio in Romeo + Juliet (1996). From casting surprises to pop culture impact, we’re breaking down what made each role a defining moment for its star.

✈️ Cruise Takes Flight
We dive into how Top Gun launched Tom Cruise into superstardom — despite him not being the studio’s first pick. From puking in a real F-14 to transforming into Maverick, Cruise’s blend of charisma and cocky charm helped birth the “Cruise persona” and reshape the action-hero mold.

💔 DiCaprio’s Shakespearean Glow-Up
Then it’s on to Leonardo DiCaprio’s romantic, reckless Romeo. Hand-picked by Baz Luhrmann and instrumental in getting the film greenlit, Leo's performance brought Shakespeare to a whole new generation. We talk chemistry with Claire Danes, the MTV visuals, and how this role set the stage for Titanic-era DiCaprio mania.

🧠 Critics Weigh In
We pull quotes and insights from reviewers of the time — what worked, what didn’t, and why both performances became culturally iconic in completely different ways.

It’s jet engines vs poetry, leather jackets vs angel wings, and two of Hollywood’s most enduring stars at pivotal moments in their careers. Let’s go.

🎬 Mostly Film:

This week on Mostly Film, we're diving headfirst into what's new, what's coming, and what's just plain wild in the world of movies and TV.

🎞️ LIST IT or NIX IT
We go rapid-fire through the latest movie trailers — and make the call: is it going on the Letterboxd watchlist or getting nixed? From Avatar: Fire and Ash to Spinal Tap 2, and even Five Nights at Freddy's 2, we’re not holding back.

👀 What We’ve Been Watching
Jonathan checks in on Fantastic Four and the Dexter: Resurrection revival, while JP talks Happy Gilmore 2, The Player, and some surprisingly gripping TV from Mobland.

🗞️ The News

• Eddie Murphy as Inspector Clouseau? Yup, it's happening.

• Chris Rock directs and stars in a new A24 film with Adam Driver and Anna Kendrick.

• Superman flies past Man of Steel at the box office.

• Marvel’s Fantastic Four: First Steps is actually… good?

• And Warner Bros is going back to being Warner Bros (no Discovery tag attached).

It’s a packed episode full of takes, hot trailers, and big news — join us for a fun ride through all things film.

🎥 Mostly Film Presents: Cruise vs. DiCaprio — Eyes Wide Shut & Inception

Two iconic stars. Two mind-bending directors. One podcast showdown.

This week, we're diving deep into Eyes Wide Shut (1999) and Inception (2010), unpacking the surprising casting choices, behind-the-scenes stories, and the career-defining performances of Tom Cruise and Leonardo DiCaprio.

✨ Did you know Cruise shot for over 400 days under Stanley Kubrick’s meticulous eye — including 90 takes of walking through a doorway? Or that DiCaprio helped Christopher Nolan rewrite Inception to add emotional depth before he ever signed on?

We’ll talk:
🔹 Cruise playing against type as a passive, unraveling doctor
🔹 DiCaprio anchoring a sci-fi epic with brooding intensity
🔹 What critics got right (and wrong) about both performances
🔹 The directors’ signature styles — Kubrick's control vs. Nolan’s complexity

It’s a psychological, philosophical, and cinematic face-off between two of the biggest names in Hollywood. Who came out on top? Tune in and decide for yourself.

🎬 Mostly Film: Smurfs, Sequels & Street-Level Spidey

This week on Mostly Film, we're breaking down the newest movie trailers, the latest streaming obsessions, and all the industry news shaking up Hollywood.

🎞️ LIST IT or NIX IT
We kick things off with rapid reactions to the week’s hottest trailers. Should they make the Letterboxd watchlist—or get the axe?

• Keeper

• Mortal Kombat 2

• Hoppers

• After the Hunt
  Our verdicts are swift, occasionally savage, and (mostly) fair.

📺 What We’ve Been Watching
Jonathan dives into Smurfs, Eddington, while JP explores some fresh 2025 releases like Sovereign and more from Eddington. We also check in on the return of Dexter: Resurrection, the surprise hit Countdown, and the promising new series Murderbot.

📰 The News
We round things out with the week’s biggest headlines:

• Lilo & Stitch remake hits $1B — the first Hollywood film of 2025 to do so

• Blade delays are intentional, says Marvel, with a focus on quality for Mahershala Ali

• Spider-Man: Brand New Day is officially street-level, and a Human Torch team-up is now in play

• Skydance x Paramount merger update — the $8B media shake-up continues

• Taika Waititi signs on for a new Judge Dredd film

• Dune: Part 3 casts Jason Momoa’s son as the next generation of Atreides

All that plus our usual banter, a few strong opinions, and maybe an accidental hot take.

🎥 It’s mostly film... but always mostly takes.

🎙️ Mostly Film Presents: Cruise Vs DiCaprio — Predicting Crime & Picking Fights

What happens when two of Hollywood’s biggest stars go gritty, futuristic, and full-on revenge mode? This week on Mostly Film, we’re diving deep into two 2002 heavyweights: Tom Cruise in Minority Report and Leonardo DiCaprio in Gangs of New York.

🔍 Tom Cruise & Minority Report
Before touchscreens were cool and privacy felt optional, Cruise teamed up with Steven Spielberg for a bleak vision of 2054 where crimes are stopped before they happen. We explore:

• Why Cruise wanted emotional depth over action flash

• How a futurist “think tank” helped build the film’s world

• And how this grounded, grief-driven role became one of his smartest sci-fi turns

⚔️ Leonardo DiCaprio & Gangs of New York
It’s DiCaprio’s first outing with Martin Scorsese — and it’s bloody. As Amsterdam Vallon, Leo battles personal demons, knife-wielding psychopaths, and a very intense Daniel Day-Lewis. We unpack:

• How this film helped him break free from his teen idol past

• The brutal training and real historical research behind his role

• And why this marked a new chapter in his career as a serious actor

💥 Along the way, we compare performances, transformation arcs, and just how well each star handled grief, vengeance, and moral murkiness in their respective epics. It's precrime vs. post-riot. It's Cruise vs. DiCaprio. And it's mostly film... but always mostly takes.

Mostly Film

We’re back this week with a quick dip into capes, comebacks, and comedy as Mostly Film returns with another round of hot takes and popcorn-powered opinions.

🎞 LIST IT or NIX IT
Only one trailer this week, but it’s a big one: Red Sonja (2025). Is it a sword-swinging comeback worth watching, or are we leaving it in the fantasy dust? We make the call.

🍿 What We’ve Been Watching
Jonathan and JP both have thoughts on Superman (2025) and how James Gunn is kicking off a new DC era. Meanwhile, JP gets haunted for the first time by Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later.

📺 TV Corner
All roads lead to Dexter: Resurrection — because if there’s one thing TV can’t quit, it’s a serial killer with a code. Also: Mobland continues to be… something we’re still watching.

📰 The News
It’s a loaded week:

• Scrubs revival is happening! Time to cry-laugh again.

• Jessica Jones is back and Krysten Ritter promises fans won’t be disappointed.

• Top Gun 3 is flying forward with an “ambitious” new story.

• Guy Ritchie exits Road House 2 (did you even know there was a Road House 2?).

• Night at the Museum gets a fresh reboot with new characters.

• Gunn loves The Batman Part II script.

• Superman flies high at the box office with $217M worldwide.

• And Tom Holland calls Nolan’s The Odyssey “the job of a lifetime.”

• Plus: A 19-year-old is directing A24’s The Backrooms, and we are officially old.

Come for the news, stay for the nonsense — it’s Mostly Film, where we’ve got mostly takes.

🎙️ Mostly Film: Cruise Vs DiCaprio – Aliens, Diamonds & Dad Problems

This week, Mostly Film continues its cinematic showdown series with a face-off between two heavy-hitters: Tom Cruise running from aliens in War of the Worlds, and Leonardo DiCaprio smuggling conscience and conflict diamonds in Blood Diamond.

First up: Cruise ditches the hero cape to play a regular, kinda-bad dad just trying to survive the apocalypse (and raise his kids) in Spielberg’s darker, grittier take on alien invasion. From barefoot sprinting to emotionally charged parenting, it’s Cruise in full “human panic mode”—and honestly, it works.

Then we head to Sierra Leone for DiCaprio’s Oscar-nominated turn as a jaded ex-mercenary looking for redemption (and a really valuable pink rock) in Blood Diamond. He’s grizzled, morally messy, and speaking in a South African accent that actually kind of nails it.

We break down:

• Why War of the Worlds is secretly a movie about fatherhood

• How Cruise turned vulnerability into a superpower

• The ethics, grit, and heat exhaustion behind Blood Diamond

• Whether DiCaprio should’ve won that Oscar

• And who came out on top in this week’s Cruise vs. DiCaprio matchup

So grab your flashlight, your Letterboxd, and maybe a bottle of water—we're heading into deep space and deeper moral questions. It’s Mostly Film... and we’ve got mostly takes.