Smile 2
Scorecard, Greatest horror villains, Zendaya and R Pat, New Medium Project
Who else agrees that when the temps start to drop, the leaves start to change and the days get shorter it feels like the only responsible thing do is watch more movies? How do we get fewer work days and more matinees on the voting ballot?
Here’s what we have for you this week:
Concession Stand Scorecard: Smile 2
Temp These Takes: Spooky Season Week 3 - Horror Villain Mt. Rushmore
Watchlist Worthy: We aren’t ready for this on-screen power couple
New Pod Drop: The Medium Project: It Ends With Us
This week’s movie - “Smile 2”
Letterboxd Description:
About to embark on a new world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley begins experiencing increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by the escalating horrors and the pressures of fame, Skye is forced to face her dark past to regain control of her life before it spirals out of control.
Best Watched With
A bunch of horror buffs, fans of the first Smile movie, and friends with stomachs strong enough eat snacks while watching one of the Saw movies.
End credit thoughts
Our expectations heading into this sequel were tempered to say the least. Most follow ups in horror franchises fail to capture the magic that made the first movie special. Smile 2 found a way to tell a brand new story and catapult past the first film while still maintaining the essential ingredients of what worked best about Smile.
Smile 2 follows the world’s biggest pop star with NYC as the backdrop. The set design, music and sound effects are immersive and effective. The cinematography both delivers beautiful shots and reinforces the anxiety and suspense.
There are other actors in this movie (who all do great, especially Ray Nicholson in his scene) but it feels like a solo mission for Naomi Scott, and she absolutely carries this film. She is singing, dancing, screaming, ugly crying with snot hanging from her nose, and every single minute was pure entertainment.
This movie falls comfortably in the body horror genre and some of the scenes were tough to watch. At one point, after a quick but disturbing shot flashed on screen a grown man in the middle of the theater exclaimed "Oh, what the hell!?". There are story telling twists that make this uniquely disturbing, but it also utilizes proven horror tactics for building tension, causing anxiety and delivering intense jump scares. The execution of the story is smart and air tight.
This movie recommendation needs to come with one giant caveat, if you don't like horror, or can't stomach gore, avoid this movie at all costs. If you are a fan of horror, or can at least appreciate a great story that happens to be in the horror genre, this is the perfect movie to get you ready for Halloween.
Go see it on the big screen.
Watch the trailer here
Horror Villain Mt. Rushmore: Who are the best villains of all time?
Kelly
1. Pennywise 🤡 Honestly… the ability to morph into your worst fears is reason enough to be at the top of my list.
2. Leatherface 🥩 I’m pretty sure he’s mostly scary for wearing the faces of other human beings but what really scares me is how loud his chainsaw is. I have sensitive ears
3. Ghostface 👻 my easiest choice and favorite scary movie franchise. He’s the ultimate popcorn flick villain.
4. Jigsaw 🧩 While his games are brutal and some even burnt in my brain (like getting pushed into a hole full of needles) he does teach us that sometimes you have to play with your life to appreciate it. Plus, I appreciate a villain with a flair for the theatrical.
Eric
It’s a tough choice. I picked a few icons and also a few who just truly scared the shit out of me. We’ve got: Freddy K - iconic and my favorite villain. These movies disturbed me more than any classic horror series. Yes his character was poorly written 90% of the time but that doesn’t change his icon status. Man in the mask (Strangers) - I’m sorry but this movie is haunting. It can never be remade (I’m ignoring the fact that people have tried.) truly terrifying. Jack (The Shining) - one of the greatest horror films ever made and a character that set the tone and left a permanent and chilling mark on all psychologically deranged characters forever. Kayako Saeki (The Grudge) - this movie scared the absolute dog water out of me and truly wrecked my world as a 10 year old. Should definitely have not watched it when I did. But Kayako has to live on my Mt Rushmore because of this experience.
Josh
Leatherface, Hannibal Lecture, Samara Morgan, and Bruce the Shark aka the shark from Jaws. I watched Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Silence of Lambs, and The Ring all by 2004. I was born in 1991. I was just a boy. Leatherface was based on a real person, Hannibal Lecture ate people too but was also a genius, and Samara Morgan almost single-handedly ruined my love for renting VHSs from Blockbuster. It was Blade the daywalker kind of haunting; day or night, awake or asleep, I was never safe. Bruce the shark because his terror has kept me from watching Jaws at all. That’s next-level horror villain talent.
New Mexico Drew
Pennywise (Tim Curry, no shade, Bill) from It 1990, Creeper from Jeepers Creepers. Captain Howdy from The Exorcist, and the Leprechaun from Leprechaun.
There are some great slasher villains that deserve their wilted flowers, but my Mt. Rushmore legitimately ruined parts of my childhood. Because of them, there were years that I shampooed my hair with my eyes open (the sting didn't compare to the fear of seeing Captain Howdy's face opening the shower curtain), avoided sewer drains at all costs (sorry Pennywise, your creepy ass won't catch me slippin), and the vast, dark rez outside my bedroom window terrified me (perfect place for Creeper or Leprechaun to be lurking). But like a drug that I knew would kill me, I couldn't stop watching these movies. Legends.
What’s your take? Hit Reply or leave a comment below and let us know!
The Drama (2025) Directed by Kristoffer Borgli
I think it will be difficult to mach the heat that Zendaya brought to the screen in Challengers, but if you put her in an on-screen relationship with R Patt and we get to watch it spiral out of control? Those ingredients might just be the ticket. I've only ever seen Dream Scenario by director Borgli, but it was one of my favorite movies last year. My guess is this is going to be a sexy, weird-as-hell ride. I’m buckled up and ready.
-NMD
Letterboxd Description:
A couple, in the days leading up to their wedding, faces a crisis when unexpected revelations derail what one of them thought they knew about the other
Movies Directed by Kristoffer Borgli:
It Ends With Us: The Medium Project #038
🎧 Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
🎥 Watch this episode on YouTube
In this episode, Kelly, Eric, Sarah, and Josh engage in a discussion about the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover's It Ends With Us. They explore various aspects of the movie, including casting choices, portrayal of serious themes like domestic violence, and differences between the book and the film.
The conversation is filled with personal anecdotes, humor, and candid moments that provide an entertaining yet critical analysis. Highlights include the technical and emotional challenges of adaptation, the performances of actors, directorial decisions, and how elements like set design and omitted scenes impacted the overall narrative.
This episode blends thoughtful critique and light-hearted banter, offering both insightful commentary and engaging entertainment.
Tune in next week for | Venom: The Last Dance
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