🎬 Mostly Film

This week on Mostly Film, we’re diving headfirst into a jam-packed episode full of fresh trailers, throwback comedies, and some questionable cinematic choices—because who didn’t ask for The Cat in the Hat to make a comeback?

Here’s what’s rolling:

🎞 LIST IT or NIX IT
We’re judging trailers like it’s festival season—does it go on the Letterboxd watchlist, or do we banish it to the cinematic void?
This week’s lineup includes:

• The Running Man

• The Cat in the Hat (still yes, really)

• She Rides Shotgun

• Project Hail Mary

• Bugonia

• Roofman

• Relay

• Finally Dawn
  ...and more. Expect sharp takes, strong opinions, and possibly a fight over alien movies and outer space dads.

🍿 What We’ve Been Watching
Jonathan dives into 28 Years Later, Eden, The Phoenician Scheme, and the pre-superhero chaos of Thunderbolts and Ballerina.
JP’s digging into Rushmore, The Accountant, Glengarry Glen Ross, and The Conversation—because yelling about leads never goes out of style.

Also featuring:
🎭 Summer of Comedy powers on with JP's recent viewings of Idiocracy, Pineapple Express, The Naked Gun, and other reminders that the early 2000s had no chill.
📺 TV Corner with Countdown, Mobland, Stick, The Bear, and Smoke—from drama to mystery to culinary anxiety.

If you’ve got a Letterboxd app and a questionable sense of taste, you’re in the right place. It’s Mostly Film—and we’ve got mostly takes.

🎙️ Cruise Vs. DiCaprio

This week on Cruise Vs. DiCaprio, we’re diving into two powerhouse performances that redefined their stars in completely different ways: Tom Cruise in The Firm (1993) and Leonardo DiCaprio in The Great Gatsby (2013).

📚 Tom Cruise in The Firm
Before Ethan Hunt ran across rooftops, Cruise sprinted barefoot through Memphis as Mitch McDeere — a young lawyer caught between a corrupt firm and the FBI. We break down:

• Why John Grisham didn’t want Cruise at first

• How Cruise’s star power changed the film’s ending

• That legendary chase scene (yes, he did his own stunts again)

• The performance that helped elevate legal thrillers to box-office gold

🎩 Leonardo DiCaprio in The Great Gatsby
Ten years after Titanic, DiCaprio stepped into a role of obsessive love and shimmering illusion as the mysterious Jay Gatsby. We talk through:

• His deep connection to Gatsby and collaboration with Baz Luhrmann

• Filming back-to-back with Django Unchained

• The emotional weight of Gatsby’s hope — and that unforgettable “old sport”

• DiCaprio’s ability to balance myth, tragedy, and pure charisma

We also compare how these roles shaped Cruise and DiCaprio’s legacies:

• Who had the more transformative role?

• Which performance holds up best today?

• And whose film better captured the tension between ambition and illusion?

Whether you’re into courtroom drama or champagne-soaked heartbreak, this episode brings the heat. Hit play and join the debate — it’s Cruise vs. DiCaprio like you’ve never heard them before.

🎙️ Mostly Film – New Trailers, Killer Surfers, and Star Wars Surprises

In this episode of Mostly Film, we're back with a packed lineup of hot takes, streaming recaps, and industry news fresh off the wire. Here's what's on the reel:

🎞️ LIST IT or NIX IT
We break down the latest batch of trailers and decide what’s hitting our Letterboxd watchlists — and what’s getting the hard pass. This week’s trailer gauntlet includes:

• The Pickup

• The Lost Bus

• Animal Farm

• The Man in My Basement

• Wicked for Good

• Kiss of the Spider-Woman

• A Big Bold Beautiful Journey
  (List or nix? We’re saying it up top and defending the call.)

👀 What We've Been Watching
From high-concept sci-fi to sweaty summer comedies, we cover the films and shows that stuck with us this week:

• Predator: Killer of Killers — does it earn that subtitle?

• The Surfer — sand, sweat, and existential dread

• The Accountant 2 — Ben’s back to balance more than books

• Minecraft: The Movie — yes, it’s real, and yes, we watched it

• Captain America: Brave New World — early impressions
  Plus: our Summer of Comedy rewatch rolls on with Tropic Thunder and Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

📺 TV Corner
Quick hits on Dept. Q and other small-screen standouts we’ve been diving into (or avoiding).

📰 The News
Movie news gets spicy this week:

• Texas Chainsaw Massacre sparks a studio bidding war

• Warner Bros. Discovery breakup talk — what it means

• Mass Effect goes live-action

• Mia Goth joins Ryan Gosling in a Star Wars mystery project

• Samuel L. Jackson speaks on awards, legacy, and doing it his way

• Oh yeah… Draco Malfoy has thoughts on J.K. Rowling 👀

All this, plus some irreverent takes and friendly fights. Hit play and let’s roll.

🎙️ Cruise vs. DiCaprio

This week, we’re taking a cinematic deep dive into two stars going big with historical drama, emotional grit, and dual swords (and roles).

🗡️ Tom Cruise in The Last Samurai
We break down Cruise’s transformation into Nathan Algren — a haunted American soldier drawn into the soul of samurai culture. From nearly a year of Kendo and Japanese language training to producing the film himself, Cruise approached this role with unmatched intensity. We talk:

• Why this film marked a mature turn in his career

• How his performance resonated in Japan

• Whether Ken Watanabe really outshined him — and if that’s a bad thing

👑 Leonardo DiCaprio in The Man in the Iron Mask
Fresh off Titanic, DiCaprio took on not one but two roles: the cruel King Louis XIV and the noble twin Philippe. We get into:

• How fans reacted to his post-Jack beard phase

• Whether his dual performance holds up next to acting legends like Irons and Malkovich

• Why this film feels like the awkward teenage phase of DiCaprio’s career

💥 Cruise vs. DiCaprio Showdown
Who brought more emotional depth? Who felt more out of place? And which film left a lasting mark on their career trajectory?

Tune in for some love, some laughs, and some friendly fire as we revisit these two ambitious, period-piece pivots from two of Hollywood’s biggest names.

In this week’s episode, we’re firing on all cylinders — from fresh trailers to comedy rewatches to the latest movie news making waves.

🎬 LIST IT or NIX IT
We take a first look at six hot-off-the-press trailers and decide: are we adding them to our Letterboxd watchlist or nixing them from existence?
You’ll hear our snap takes on:

• Frankenstein (Guillermo del Toro's bold vision)

• Wake Up Dead Man (hello again, Benoit Blanc)

• The Black Phone 2 (do we really need more ring-ring terror?)

• The Home (thriller or filler?)

• The Thursday Murder Club (boomers solve crime!)

• Good Fortune (comedy redemption or studio misfire?)

🎞️ What We’ve Been Watching
From nostalgic laughs to new indies, we break down the movies and shows that stuck with us this week — without spoiling a thing.
Jonathan dives into the theme of Friendship on-screen and revisits comedy gems like Shanghai Noon, George of the Jungle, and The Full Monty.
JP brings Friendship and Mountainhead into focus, and highlights sharp TV picks like Your Friends and Neighbors, Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney, and Adults.

📰 The News
We talk through what’s new in movie land, including:

• Ryan Coogler officially shutting down any hope for a Sinners sequel

• Our honest reactions to the trailer for Dexter: Resurrection (Are we intrigued or just tired?)

Hit play for quick takes, comedy callbacks, and the cinematic stuff that’s keeping us talking.

🎙️ Cruise vs. DiCaprio
In this episode of Mostly Film, we head back to where it all really started for two of Hollywood’s biggest stars — Tom Cruise and Leonardo DiCaprio — in a gritty face-off between All the Right Moves (1983) and The Basketball Diaries (1995).

🏈 Cruise in Steel Town, USA:
We break down Tom Cruise’s early-career standout as Stefan Djordjevic, a high school football player trying to escape a dead-end town. From real football training to shaping his character’s emotional depth, Cruise showed critics he had more than just charm — he had dramatic range. We look at how this under-the-radar performance helped launch his rise into leading-man territory.

🏀 DiCaprio’s Descent into Darkness:
Then, we turn to a young Leonardo DiCaprio’s harrowing performance in The Basketball Diaries, where he went full method to portray poet Jim Carroll’s fall into heroin addiction. From the gut-punch withdrawal scene to Carroll’s own stamp of approval, DiCaprio’s performance cemented him as more than just a teen idol — he was a serious actor with fearless instincts.

💥 Along the way, we compare the raw energy of Cruise’s working-class angst with DiCaprio’s emotional freefall, exploring how both films became turning points — not just in their careers, but in how audiences saw them as actors.

If you love origin stories, underdog energy, and actors pushing past their pretty-boy image — this one’s for you. Hit play.

🎙️ Mostly Film: What’s New, What We Watched & Summer of Comedy
Your weekly watchlist just got a lot weirder (and funnier).

In this episode of Mostly Film, we kick things off with LIST IT or NIX IT, where we give our instant takes on the latest trailers and decide whether they deserve a spot on our Letterboxd watchlists—or straight to the bin.

🍿 Then, we break down what we’ve been watching—from early reactions to the upcoming Lilo & Stitch (2025) to the mysterious fantasy vibes of The Legend of Ochi. JP dives into Fountain of Youth, The Ugly Stepsister, and Warfare, while Jonathan brings his thoughts on The Studio and more.

😎 Plus, it’s officially Summer of Comedy, and we’re getting nostalgic with a stack of cult classics and stoner legends:

• Mallrats

• Grind

• Dazed and Confused

• Super Troopers

• Airheads

• PCU

• ¡Three Amigos!
  …and yes, Animal House is here too.

🗞️ Finally, we hit the biggest headlines in movie news, including the much-discussed casting for HBO’s Harry Potter reboot and what it could mean for the series’ future.

If you love movies, mess, and mid-'90s madness—this episode’s for you. Hit play.

🎙️ Cruise vs. DiCaprio: A Few Good Men & Titanic
Two stars. Two iconic roles. One epic showdown.

In this episode of Mostly Film, we dive into the dramatic depths and behind-the-scenes brilliance of Tom Cruise in A Few Good Men and Leonardo DiCaprio in Titanic — two career-defining roles that helped shape the legacies of two of Hollywood’s biggest stars.

👨‍⚖️ Cruise in Court
We explore how Tom Cruise became the face of Lt. Daniel Kaffee — a cocky Navy lawyer turned righteous courtroom warrior. From Aaron Sorkin’s original vision to Cruise’s intense prep work with real JAG officers, we dig into how A Few Good Men became a turning point in Cruise’s dramatic career.
Highlights include:

• His explosive chemistry with Jack Nicholson

• The legendary “You can’t handle the truth” scene

• How Cruise earned critics’ respect as a serious actor

🚢 DiCaprio on Deck
Then it’s all aboard the Titanic, where a 21-year-old Leonardo DiCaprio transformed Jack Dawson into a timeless romantic hero. We unpack the casting drama, his undeniable chemistry with Kate Winslet, and how this one role launched Leo Mania into full force.
Behind-the-scenes details:

• Why DiCaprio almost didn’t take the role

• How James Cameron fought to get his audition

• The sketchbook scene, the sacrifice, and the Oscar snub that still stings

🎬 Critics Weigh In
We compare how both performances were received — Cruise praised for intensity and growth, DiCaprio adored for charm and sincerity — and ask the big question: Who gave the more iconic performance in their era-defining role?

🔥 It’s charisma vs. heart. Strategy vs. spontaneity. Military courtroom vs. sinking ship.

🎬 Mostly Film —

In this episode of Mostly Film, we're back with a packed lineup of takes, trailers, and twisted movie news.

🍿 LIST IT or NIX IT (2:30)
We dive into the freshest movie trailers and ask the only question that matters: Does it make the Letterboxd watchlist… or get the axe?
This week’s titles:

• Nobody 2

• Americana

• Oh What Fun

• Ballerina

• The Long Walk

• Honey Don’t

• Alpha
  Expect strong opinions, quick judgments, and one or two hot takes you’ll probably argue with in your group chat.

🎥 What We’ve Been Watching (18:30)
We break down the films and TV shows that stuck with us this week—no deep plot dives, just the vibes, performances, and themes that made an impact.
Jonathan’s queue includes Mr. K, The Shrouds, Novocaine, Final Destination: Bloodlines, and a nostalgia trip with The Land Before Time and The Emperor’s New Groove.
JP adds his take on Murderbot and weighs in on crossover watches like Mr. K and FD: Bloodlines.

📰 The News (53:30)
Hollywood’s chaos corner:

• Tom Cruise has his own hot sauce (and will never retire)

• Tony Todd breaks the fourth wall in FD: Bloodlines

• Dakota Johnson critiques risk-averse studios

• Benedict Cumberbatch on Wes Anderson discovering Michael Cera (“like God discovering water”)

• Ralph Fiennes as President Snow

• Cosmo Jarvis as Young Stalin

• Gears of War, Rambo origins, Spider-Noir, and a DHS reality show that’s… real?

From the absurd to the ambitious, we're talking about all of it.

🎧 Mostly Film — where movies are sacred, stupid, or sometimes both. Press play and argue with us later.

🎙️ Cruise vs. DiCaprio — Rain Man & What’s Eating Gilbert Grape

This week, we're diving into two powerhouse early performances that helped shape the careers of two of Hollywood’s biggest stars. It’s Tom Cruise in Rain Man vs. Leonardo DiCaprio in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape — a face-off between emotional arcs, sibling bonds, and breakthrough roles.

We unpack how Cruise turned in one of his most underrated performances as Charlie Babbitt, the selfish younger brother who learns empathy during a cross-country journey with Dustin Hoffman’s Raymond. From casting shakeups to doing his own driving in emotionally charged scenes, Cruise’s transformation helped Rain Man win Best Picture and redefined his career.

Then it’s DiCaprio’s breakout moment as Arnie Grape — the emotionally raw, deeply convincing role that stunned critics and earned him an Oscar nomination at just 19. We look at how DiCaprio beat out 400 actors, built a believable brotherly bond with Johnny Depp, and completely disappeared into the part, fooling audiences into thinking he wasn’t acting at all.

We compare how both actors anchored emotional dramas without the flash, the risks they took, and how these performances helped launch them into superstardom.

Whether you’re here for Cruise’s emotional restraint or DiCaprio’s jaw-dropping intensity, this episode is a must for fans of character-driven performances and turning points in film history.

🎬 Let’s get into it.