Moviewallas

Moviewallas Episode 599 – Practical Magic 2, Onslaught & Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!

One episode away from 600! This week, Joe, Rashmi and Yazdi are back with witches, genetically engineered super-soldiers, ballroom dancing, chicken meat floss pie and a brand-new Moviewallas theme tune.

We also have three picks for when you “can’t find anything to watch” – including one thriller that all three of us think you should watch knowing as little as possible.

Practical Magic 2

Onslaught

Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!

Rinko Kikuchi stars in this funny, moving and wonderfully surreal story of grief, love, loss and ballroom dancing in Tokyo. Yazdi calls it “the embodiment of delight.” Joe thinks Kikuchi gives one of his favorite performances of the year. And Rashmi? She has just found her favorite movie of 2026.

I Can’t Find Anything to Watch!

Rashmi recommends Lupin – the wonderfully playful French crime series starring Omar Sy.

Yazdi picks Strange Darling – a twisty, non-chronological thriller that constantly plays with your expectations. Our advice: don’t read about it. Just watch it.

Joe recommends Call My Agent: The Movie – a welcome reunion with the characters from the much-loved French series. If you haven’t seen the show, start there first.

PLUS…

What are you watching? Have you seen any of this week’s movies? And are Rashmi and Yazdi right to be quite so besotted with Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!? Let us know in the comments.

Too many movies. Too little time.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Welcome to Episode 599

#Moviewallas #PracticalMagic2 #Onslaught #HaChanShakeYourBooty #StrangeDarling #Lupin #CallMyAgent #SandraBullock #NicoleKidman #RinkoKikuchi #MovieReviews #MoviePodcast #StreamingPicks #TooManyMoviesTooLittleTime

Moviewallas: One Night Only, The End of Oak Street & Spider-Man: Brand New Day

This week on Moviewallas, Joe, Rashmi, and Yazdi tackle three very different new releases: the high-concept romantic comedy One Night Only, the dinosaur-filled suburban adventure The End of Oak Street, and the latest chapter in Tom Holland’s Spider-Man story, Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

The team also responds to listener feedback about The Odyssey, including the suggestion that Peter Jackson might have been better suited to tell the story across several films.

Then it is time for another edition of “I Can’t Find Anything to Watch…”, with three streaming recommendations and a bonus pick from a listener.

Streaming Picks

Margot’s Got Money Troubles – Apple TV

The Room Next Door – Netflix

The Dink – Apple TV

Bonus Pick: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder – Netflix

One Night Only

In a fictional New York City where premarital sex and public displays of affection are forbidden for all but one night of the year, two people search for love while repeatedly missing, finding, and losing one another over the course of a single evening.

Directed by Will Gluck and starring Callum Turner and Monica Barbaro, the film combines a deliberately absurd premise with the familiar pleasures of a romantic comedy.

The hosts discuss the unanswered questions raised by its strange dystopian world, whether the premise needed a sharper political edge, and why none of that ultimately matters when the two leads have such appealing chemistry.

Stylish, funny, romantic, and considerably more risqué than its sweet nature initially suggests, One Night Only succeeds by making the audience genuinely care about whether its central couple will find their way to each other.

The End of Oak Street

Written and directed by David Robert Mitchell, The End of Oak Street follows a suburban family whose neighborhood is transported somewhere unfamiliar after a mysterious cosmic event.

Starring Anne Hathaway, Ewan McGregor, Maisy Stella, and Christian Convery, the film blends family drama, science fiction, horror, and the nostalgic spirit of 1980s Amblin adventures.

The team describes it as Jurassic Park in suburbia – hammy, underwritten, occasionally ridiculous, but enormously entertaining. They discuss its impressive creatures, its surprisingly frightening and violent moments, its commitment to genuine danger, and the way it captures the look and atmosphere of films such as Super 8, E.T., and the classic Spielberg productions of the era.

It may not be the film that saves cinema, but it is a loud, tense, nostalgic popcorn movie that deserves to be experienced in a theatre.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day

Tom Holland returns as Peter Parker in the fourth film of this Spider-Man series, directed by Destin Daniel Cretton.

Following the events of the previous film, Peter is living alone in a world where the people closest to him no longer remember who he is. As he continues his life as Spider-Man, the emotional weight of that loneliness begins to shape his choices.

The hosts discuss the film’s quieter and more melancholic tone, its focus on sacrifice and isolation, the importance of revisiting the previous movies before watching, and whether audiences may be feeling some degree of superhero fatigue.

While Yazdi questions the reuse of familiar Marvel villains, Rashmi and Joe respond strongly to the film’s emotional core, focused storytelling, and the journey of a Peter Parker forced to ask what a meaningful life looks like when it must be lived alone.

The action is polished, but it is the film’s heart, relationships, and sense of longing that make Brand New Day stand out.

Like, comment, and subscribe for spoiler-light film reviews, streaming recommendations, listener feedback, movie news, and general banter.

Send your feedback to: [email protected]

Stay until the end to hear the latest experimental Moviewallas outro.

Timestamps

00:00 – Start

#Moviewallas #OneNightOnly #TheEndOfOakStreet #SpiderManBrandNewDay #SpiderMan #TomHolland #AnneHathaway #EwanMcGregor #MonicaBarbaro #CallumTurner #DestinDanielCretton #MoviePodcast #FilmReviews #StreamingPicks #TooManyMoviesTooLittleTime

Moviewallas: Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass & Tony

This week on Moviewallas, Joe, Rashmi, and Yazdi review two very different films. First up is Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass, a wildly absurd comedy packed with rapid-fire jokes, celebrity cameos, fourth-wall breaks, and a surprising amount of sweetness. Then the team turns to Tony, Matt Johnson’s moving portrait of the formative summer that set a young Anthony Bourdain on the path toward kitchens, writing, and the life that would eventually make him famous.

Before the reviews, the hosts return to “I Can’t Find Anything to Watch…” with three streaming recommendations: the heartfelt science-fiction adventure The Adam Project, the brutal medieval thriller Pilgrimage, and Ridley Scott’s inventive historical drama The Last Duel.

Streaming Picks

The Adam Project – Netflix

Pilgrimage – Hulu

The Last Duel – Hulu

Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass

When her fiancé acts on their celebrity-pass agreement, Midwest bride Gail Daughtry heads to Hollywood in search of a celebrity encounter of her own.

Directed by David Wain and starring Zoey Deutch, the film assembles a huge comic cast that includes Jon Hamm, John Slattery, Ken Marino, Sabrina Impacciatore, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Ben Wang, and many more.

The hosts discuss the film’s relentless stream of jokes, its Wizard of Oz influences, its affectionate use of Hollywood caricatures, and the willingness of its celebrity cameos to completely make fools of themselves. It is ridiculous, exhausting, incredibly sweet, and, most importantly, genuinely funny.

Tony

Director Matt Johnson, whose previous film was BlackBerry, turns his attention to the early life of Anthony Bourdain.

The film follows 19-year-old Bourdain as he arrives in Provincetown and stumbles into the chaotic world of restaurant kitchens. Rather than attempting to cover his entire life, Tony concentrates on one formative summer and the people who helped point him toward the career that would eventually define him.

The team praises Dominic Sessa for capturing Bourdain’s charm, arrogance, intelligence, and complexity without turning him into a saint. They also discuss the outstanding performances from Antonio Banderas, Leo Woodall, and Emilia Jones, the convincing recreation of the 1970s restaurant world, and the film’s refusal to romanticize the brutal reality of kitchen work.

Funny, moving, authentic, and made with enormous affection for Bourdain, this is a biopic that understands the value of focusing on the thing that led to the thing.

Like, comment, and subscribe for spoiler-light film reviews, streaming recommendations, strong opinions, and general movie banter.

Hosted by Joe, Rashmi & Yazdi

Timestamps

00:00 – Start

#Moviewallas #GailDaughtry #CelebritySexPass #TonyMovie #AnthonyBourdain #ZoeyDeutch #AntonioBanderas #DominicSessa #LeoWoodall #MattJohnson #MoviePodcast #FilmReviews #StreamingPicks #TooManyMoviesTooLittleTime

Welcome back to Moviewallas, your weekly dose of film reviews, movie news, and general banter – in theatres, on streaming, or in the back of an airplane. This week, Joe, Rashmi, and Yazdi take on just one movie, but it is a very big one: Christopher Nolan’s sprawling, IMAX-shot adaptation of The Odyssey.

Before setting sail, the team celebrates Rashmi’s newly published children’s book, Your Fluff Is Enough, now available through major booksellers. Learn more about Lenny the sheep, the Happy Wiggly farm, and the book’s message of self-acceptance at happywiggly.com.

Streaming Picks – “I Can’t Find Anything to Watch…”

Remarkably Bright Creatures – Netflix

India Sweets and Spices – Netflix

Warrior – Prime Video

The Odyssey

Christopher Nolan takes on one of the oldest and most influential stories ever told, with Matt Damon as Odysseus, Anne Hathaway as Penelope, Tom Holland as Telemachus, and a huge ensemble that includes Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Lupita Nyong’o, Himesh Patel, Samantha Morton, and more.

Shot entirely in IMAX, this is Nolan operating at his most ambitious: vast locations, practical filmmaking, mythological creatures, booming sound design, and a story that spans war, guilt, temptation, survival, and the long journey home.

The team discusses the film’s extraordinary technical achievement, its unconventional structure, Nolan’s reinterpretation of the story’s women, Matt Damon’s take on Odysseus, and whether all that cinematic majesty comes with enough emotional warmth. They also debate whether Nolan’s devotion to IMAX and fractured timelines strengthens the story or sometimes gets in its way.

Despite a few reservations, everyone agrees that The Odyssey demands to be seen on the biggest screen possible.

Like, comment, and subscribe if you enjoy spoiler-light movie discussions with strong opinions, mythology tangents, filmmaking analysis, and the occasional debate about whether “Dad” belongs in Ancient Greece.

Hosted by: Joe, Rashmi & Yazdi

Timestamps

00:00 – Start

#Moviewallas #TheOdyssey #ChristopherNolan #MattDamon #AnneHathaway #TomHolland #RobertPattinson #Zendaya #IMAX #MoviePodcast #FilmReview #GreekMythology #StreamingPicks #YourFluffIsEnough #TooManyMoviesTooLittleTime

This week on Moviewallas, Joe, Rashmi, and Yazdi are finally back together and tackling a packed slate of movies and music documentaries.

First up is Mortal Kombat 2, the latest entry in the long-running video game franchise. Does it deliver the over-the-top action fans are hoping for, or is it another missed opportunity?

Next, the team discusses Pressure, a tense historical drama set around the D-Day invasion that explores the enormous responsibility placed on the meteorologists whose forecasts helped shape the course of history.

Then it’s time for Tuner, an intimate character-driven drama that sparks a lively discussion about performance, relationships, and the choices we make when our lives begin to drift out of tune.

Finally, the hosts dive into Boy George and Culture Club, a fascinating documentary chronicling the rise, fall, and enduring legacy of one of the most distinctive bands of the 1980s. From the New Romantic movement to personal relationships within the band, it’s a revealing look at the people behind the music.

As always, expect plenty of movie banter, strong opinions, and a few unexpected tangents along the way.

Hosted by Joe, Rashmi & Yazdi

Timestamps

00:00 – Start

#Moviewallas #MortalKombat2 #PressureMovie #Tuner #BoyGeorge #CultureClub #MoviePodcast #FilmReview #Cinema #MovieReviews #TooManyMoviesTooLittleTime

Moviewallas is on YouTube!

Welcome back to Moviewallas, your weekly dose of film reviews, movie news, and general banter – in theatres, on streaming, or in the back of an airplane. This week, Joe, Rashmi, and Yazdi keep things focused with two very Anne Hathaway-heavy releases: David Lowery’s strange and ambitious Mother Mary and the long-awaited sequel The Devil Wears Prada 2.

Streaming Picks – Anne Hathaway Edition

WeCrashed – Apple TV+ / Peacock

Rachel Getting Married

The Dark Knight Rises / Interstellar

Mother Mary

The Devil Wears Prada 2

Like, comment, and subscribe if you enjoy smart, spoiler-light film discussions with strong opinions, movie love, and the occasional tea-fueled tangent.

Hosted by: Joe, Rashmi & Yazdi

Timestamps

#Moviewallas #MoviePodcast #MotherMary #TheDevilWearsPrada2 #AnneHathaway #MerylStreep #EmilyBlunt #StanleyTucci #DavidLowery #MichaelaCoel #StreamingPicks #TooManyMoviesTooLittleTime

Moviewallas is on YouTube!

This week on Moviewallas, Joe, Rashmi, and Yazdi return from a whirlwind UK trip and jump straight back into movie mode with a packed episode covering three wildly different films. First up is I Swear, the emotionally powerful true story of a Scottish man living with Tourette’s syndrome. Then the hosts dive into The Drama, a provocative and sharply written relationship thriller starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson that sparks one of the podcast’s most fascinating discussions of the year. Finally, they tackle Michael, Antoine Fuqua’s glossy and highly controversial Michael Jackson biopic.

Along the way, there are streaming recommendations ranging from Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant empire to the one-take kitchen thriller Boiling Point, plus conversations about morality, celebrity, art versus artist, and whether audiences can ever truly know the people they idolize.

Streaming Picks – “I Can’t Find Anything to Watch…”

Being Gordon Ramsay – Netflix

Boiling Point – Tubi

Send Help – Hulu / Disney+

I Swear

The Drama

Michael

Hosted by: Joe, Rashmi & Yazdi

Timestamps

00:00 – Start

#Moviewallas #MoviePodcast #TheDrama #ISwear #MichaelJackson #MichaelMovie #Zendaya #RobertPattinson #GordonRamsay #BoilingPoint #MovieReviews #TooManyMoviesTooLittleTime

Moviewallas is on YouTube!

Welcome back to Moviewallas, your weekly dose of film reviews, movie news, and general banter – in theatres, on streaming, or in the back of an airplane. This week, Joe, Rashmi, and Yazdi take on two very different movies: the darkly comedic How to Make a Killing and the hugely anticipated, surprisingly emotional Project Hail Mary.

Tea check: No new snacks this time – just a fresh round of tea, a little British supermarket hierarchy, and enough energy to power one very enthusiastic space-movie conversation.

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Streaming Picks – “I Can’t Find Anything to Watch…”

Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model – Netflix Rashmi revisits the world of America’s Next Top Model through this docuseries, and the group reflects on how wildly our perspective on reality TV, exploitation, and “empowerment” has changed over the last 20 years.

Crazy, Stupid, Love – Netflix Yazdi goes with this slick, star-packed romantic dramedy starring Ryan Gosling, Steve Carell, Emma Stone, Julianne Moore, Marisa Tomei, Kevin Bacon, and Josh Groban. Contrived? Sure. Still a fun watch? Also yes.

Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man – Netflix (coming March 20) Joe makes a rare future-facing pick, getting excited for the return of Tommy Shelby and the Peaky Blinders universe. Here’s hoping the movie has a story worthy of the comeback.

How to Make a Killing John Patton Ford follows up Emily the Criminal with this dark comedy about inheritance, murder, and family dysfunction. Starring Glen Powell, Margaret Qualley, and Ed Harris, the film gave the hosts plenty to chew on.

Project Hail Mary This one gets a full-throated reaction. Based on the Andy Weir novel and directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, Project Hail Mary stars Ryan Gosling as a man waking up alone on a spaceship with Earth’s future in his hands. Joe and Yazdi came in with serious affection for the book – and plenty of fear about how hard it would be to adapt – while Rashmi went in fresh. The result? A big, emotional, funny, visually inventive sci-fi movie that gave all three hosts a lot to talk about.

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Like, comment, and subscribe if you enjoy spoiler-light movie conversations with strong opinions, good humor, and the occasional tea-fueled tangent.

Hosted by: Joe, Rashmi & Yazdi

Watch on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts

Follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @moviewallas

www.moviewallas.com

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Timestamps

00:00 – Start

01:53 – Streaming Picks

02:08 – Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model

04:55 – Crazy, Stupid, Love

06:42 – Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man

09:00 – How to Make a Killing 1

8:14 – Project Hail Mary

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#Moviewallas #MoviePodcast #ProjectHailMary #HowToMakeAKilling #RyanGosling #AndyWeir #GlenPowell #MargaretQualley #PhilLordAndChrisMiller #StreamingPicks #TooManyMoviesTooLittleTime

Moviewallas is on YouTube!

Welcome back to Moviewallas, your weekly dose of film reviews, movie news, and general banter – in theatres, on streaming, or in the back of an airplane.

This week, Joe, Rashmi, and Yazdi tackle two very different kinds of cinematic reanimation: Maggie Gyllenhaal’s ambitious The Bride and Quentin Tarantino’s long-awaited Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair.

Snack check: Lunar New Year rice treats, German gummies, chocolate rolls, ginger jelly sweets, and a fresh round of tea power this episode. Sugar levels are high. Opinions are too.

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Streaming Picks – “I Can’t Find Anything to Watch…”

Eleanor the Great – Netflix Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut is a warm, funny, bittersweet character piece led by the wonderful June Squibb. A small film with a big heart.

The Killer – Tubi Yazdi’s John Woo deep dive leads to this Hong Kong classic – stylish, influential, and a reminder that Tubi has some serious gems if you’re willing to dig.

In Time – Tubi Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried, Cillian Murphy, and one of the great high-concept sci-fi premises of the 2010s. Yazdi also makes the case for Tubi as an underrated free streaming treasure chest.

Nuremberg – Netflix Joe revisits this awards-season historical drama and highlights the performances of Rami Malek and Russell Crowe, along with the film’s fascinating take on the postwar trials.

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The Bride Maggie Gyllenhaal reimagines the Frankenstein myth through a steampunk, gangster-inflected, fiercely stylized lens. With Jesse Buckley, Christian Bale, Annette Bening, and Penélope Cruz in the mix, this one gave the hosts a lot to wrestle with – from its bold visual ambition to the sheer amount it tries to do at once. A movie to admire, argue with, and maybe be a little baffled by.

Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair Tarantino’s long-rumored unified cut of Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2 is finally here. The team discusses how the combined version plays, what’s changed, and whether seeing it as one four-hour experience makes it even better – or simply different. Either way, it’s a chance to revisit one of modern cinema’s great revenge sagas in all its blood-soaked glory.

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Like, comment, and subscribe if you enjoy smart, spoiler-light film discussions with strong opinions, movie love, and occasional ginger-induced chaos.

Hosted by: Joe, Rashmi & Yazdi

Watch on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts

Follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @moviewallas www.moviewallas.com

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Timestamps

00:00 – Start

04:48 – Streaming Picks

05:26 – Eleanor The Great

07:54 – The Killer

09:24 – In Time

11:33 – Nuremberg

13:50 – The Bride

28:02 – Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair

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#Moviewallas #MoviePodcast #TheBride #KillBill #KillBillTheWholeBloodyAffair #MaggieGyllenhaal #JesseBuckley #ChristianBale #QuentinTarantino #StreamingPicks #TooManyMoviesTooLittleTime

Moviewallas is on YouTube!

Welcome back to Moviewallas, your weekly dose of film reviews, movie news, and movie-lover banter — in theatres, on streaming, or in the back of an airplane.

In this episode, Joe, Rashmi, and Yazdi dive into their favorite movies of 2025, comparing personal Top 10 lists and highlighting the films that surprised, moved, and stuck with them throughout the year. From bold international cinema and indie discoveries to major studio releases and festival favorites, the conversation covers a wide range of standout films from the past year.

Along the way the team discusses everything from emotional storytelling and memorable performances to unexpected genre hits and films that sparked passionate debate.

In the final segment, the Moviewallas turn their attention to the 2025 Oscar nominations, sharing reactions to the biggest categories — including Best Picture, Best Director, the acting races, and International Feature — and talking through what surprised them, what made sense, and what they’ll be watching closely on awards night.

If you’re looking for great movie recommendations or want to hear a lively discussion about the year in film, this is the episode for you.

Like, comment, and subscribe if you enjoy smart film conversations with a bit of humor and strong opinions.

Hosted by: Joe, Rashmi & Yazdi

Watch on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts

Follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @moviewallas

www.moviewallas.com

Timestamps:

00:00:00 – Start

00:02:45 – Personal Top Tens

00:03:24 – Resurrection

00:05:15 – The Perfect Neighbor

00:06:44 – F1: The Movie

00:08:41 – Sentimental Value

00:11:53 – Zootopia 2

00:13:02 – Bugonia

00:16:23 – The Secret Agent

00:18:21 – The Voice of Hind Rajab

00:20:16 – One Battle After Another

00:22:27 – A House of Dynamite

00:24:55 – All That’s Left of You

00:27:39 – Sovereign

00:31:04 – Marty Supreme

00:33:12 – No Other Choice

00:35:03 – Black Bag

00:36:58 – Roof Man / A Nice Indian Boy / The Ballad of Wallis Island

00:38:03 – The Materialists

00:40:57 – It Was Just An Accident

00:41:54 – The Left Handed Girl

00:42:46 – M3GAN 2.0

00:45:16 – Sinners

00:51:28 – Predator: Badlands

00:54:16 – Twinless

01:02:59 – Moviewallas Discuss the Oscar Nominations

01:03:48 – Best Picture

01:05:06 – Best Director

01:07:13 – Best Actor

01:09:18 – Best Actress

01:10:59 – Best Supporting Actor

01:11:31 – Best Supporting Actress

01:12:54 – Best Foreign Language Film

#Moviewallas

#BestMovies2025

#Top10Movies

#OscarNominations

#MoviePodcast

#FilmPodcast

#MovieReviews

#FilmDiscussion

#CinemaLovers

#MovieRecommendations

#IndieFilms

#InternationalCinema

#PredatorBadlands

#M3GAN2

#Zootopia2

#TooManyMoviesTooLittleTime