🎙️ Mostly Film: Toy Story, Chinatown, and Hollywood’s Latest Wins

The Mostly Film crew is back! We kick things off with LIST IT or NIX IT, where we give the hot new trailers (Super Mario Galaxy, Christy, The Rip, Song Sung Blue) the only treatment they deserve—an instant thumbs-up for the Letterboxd watchlist or a one-way ticket to the nix pile.

Then it’s What We’ve Been Watching: Jonathan gets nostalgic with Toy Story (still a perfect movie, by the way) and checks in on Task. Meanwhile, JP takes a detour through the gritty ‘70s with Sorcerer, Chinatown, and Winter Kills. Plus, we chat about the recent success of Weapons and why it might just be setting the stage for one of 2025’s biggest conversation starters.

And of course, we wrap it up with The News, because the movie world never sleeps.... and neither do we

🎙️ Mostly Film: Cruise vs. DiCaprio – American Made & Killers of the Flower Moon

This week on Mostly Film, we’re stacking two Hollywood heavyweights against each other: Tom Cruise in American Made (2017) and Leonardo DiCaprio in Killers of the Flower Moon (2023).

We start with Cruise, who reunited with Doug Liman to play real-life pilot Barry Seal—a hustler caught between the CIA and the Medellín Cartel. From writing the role specifically with Cruise in mind to letting him do his own flying stunts, we dig into the wild casting backstory. Critics praised his charm and energy, calling it one of his most refreshing (and risky) roles of the 2010s.

Then we move to DiCaprio, who flipped the script—literally—in Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon. Originally meant to play the heroic FBI agent, DiCaprio chose instead to embody Ernest Burkhart, a morally torn man complicit in the Osage murders. His decision reshaped the story into a darker, more intimate character study. Critics highlighted his unflattering physicality, emotional vulnerability, and magnetic chemistry with Lily Gladstone as the tragic heart of the film.

Two very different stars. Two true stories. Two performances that pushed each actor outside their comfort zone. The question is: who pulled off the greater risk?

🎬 Mostly Film: Trailers, Taskmasters & Chicken Man?

This week on Mostly Film, we’re diving into a mountain of fresh trailers in our LIST IT or NIX IT segment—will Wuthering Heights, Hamnet, Return to Silent Hill, or Dust Bunny make the cut, or get tossed aside?

Then it’s time for What We’ve Been Watching, and Jonathan’s been on a roll: from action sequels like Nobody 2 and She Rides Shotgun, to the hilarity of The Naked Gun, to the colorful chaos of K-Pop Demon Hunters. He even squeezed in Light of the World, Together, Eanie Meanie, Highest 2 Lowest, and more—plus TV time with Dexter: Resurrection and Task. (JP promises to catch up soon.)

And of course, we’ve got the movie news roundup:

• Dwayne Johnson playing “Chicken Man” in Benny Safdie’s Lizard Music 🐓

• Cillian Murphy says he has “ROMO” about missing Nolan’s The Odyssey

• Spielberg almost directed a Call of Duty movie 🎮

• Jeremy Allen White circling Airman with Ben Stiller

• A Magic remake in the works from Sam Raimi

• Will Smith inks a first-look deal with Paramount

• And Jordan Peele’s mystery project is suddenly off Universal’s calendar 👀

It’s a jam-packed episode full of wild casting, bold remakes, and our questionable trailer hot takes.

🎥 Cruise vs. DiCaprio: Edge of Tomorrow & The Revenant

This week on Mostly Film, we’re putting two powerhouse performances under the microscope: Tom Cruise’s action-heavy, time-looping Edge of Tomorrow (2014) and Leonardo DiCaprio’s brutal, Oscar-winning The Revenant (2015).

We dig into how Cruise flipped his usual hero persona on its head—starting out as a cowardly PR officer before evolving into a battle-hardened soldier—and why his chemistry with Emily Blunt made this one of his most entertaining roles in years.

Then we trek into the icy wilderness with DiCaprio, exploring how he endured bone-chilling conditions, ate raw bison liver, and gave a raw, nearly wordless performance that finally brought him his first Academy Award.

It’s a head-to-head between two very different kinds of survival stories: one fueled by sci-fi spectacle and do-overs, the other by grit, pain, and sheer willpower.

🎬 Cruise vs. DiCaprio: Risky Business & Don’t Look Up

This week on Mostly Film, we’re diving into two very different eras of movie stardom—Tom Cruise in Risky Business (1983) and Leonardo DiCaprio in Don’t Look Up (2021).

First up: Cruise in Risky Business. We unpack how a not-so-obvious choice for the role of Joel Goodson became a career-defining performance. From that legendary underwear dance (which wasn’t even scripted) to his transformation from nervous teen to confident star, we explore how this film launched Cruise into Hollywood superstardom.

Then: DiCaprio in Don’t Look Up. We talk about how Leo brought his passion for climate activism into Adam McKay’s satirical disaster comedy, why his nervous, nerdy scientist was such a refreshing change of pace, and how his improvised TV rant became one of the movie’s standout moments.

It’s a showdown between two icons at pivotal moments in their careers—one breaking out, the other breaking type.

Mostly Film

This week on Mostly Film, we’re back with another packed episode.

First up: LIST IT or NIX IT—we’re running through the latest trailers (Good Boy, Keeper, Jimmy & Stiggs, Rabbit Trap, STEVE, Marty Supreme, Plainclothes, Elenor the Great) and deciding on the spot if they’re worth adding to our Letterboxd watchlists… or tossing in the bin.

Then in What We’ve Been Watching, Jonathan and JP share their thoughts on The Bad Guys 2, The Bad Guys, and a couple of TV favorites like Dexter: Resurrection and Countdown. Expect quick takes on what stuck with us, without getting lost in the weeds of plot summaries.

Finally, we wrap up with Movie News, hitting the latest updates from Hollywood and beyond.

Trailers, reviews, and the week’s movie buzz—all in one episode.

Episode Title: Cruise vs. DiCaprio – Days of Thunder & The Beach

This week, we’re putting two movie icons head-to-head as we dive into Tom Cruise’s high-octane turn in Days of Thunder (1990) and Leonardo DiCaprio’s island odyssey in The Beach (2000).

We’ll unpack the fascinating behind-the-scenes stories—from Cruise’s real NASCAR training and on-set romance with Nicole Kidman, to DiCaprio’s risky post-Titanic career move, environmental controversies in Thailand, and jellyfish encounters that almost derailed the shoot.

You’ll hear about the inspirations, production challenges, and career-defining choices that shaped both films—plus our takes on how each star handled their roles, what critics said then vs. now, and why these movies still spark debate decades later.

Fast cars. Hidden islands. Two megastars at pivotal moments in their careers. Buckle up—this is going to be a ride.

🎬 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!