Movie Files

I PLAY ROCKY (2026) tells the incredible true story behind the making of arguably the greatest sports movie of all time! Directed by Peter Farrelly and starring Anthony Ippolito as a young Sylvester Stallone, this heartfelt biographical drama explores the struggles, sacrifices, and determination that brought the original Rocky (1976) to the big screen.

As someone who considers the original Rocky one of the greatest sports movies ever made, I had high expectations going into this film. And man, did it win me over!

In today’s spoiler-free Movie Files Podcast review, I’m breaking down why I Play Rocky starts off following some pretty familiar biopic tropes before transforming into an incredibly entertaining, funny, heartfelt, and inspiring crowd-pleaser.

Is I Play Rocky actually that good? Let’s get into it!

LET’S TALK MOVIES!

Do you consider Rocky the greatest sports movie ever made? Which Rocky movie is your favorite? And are you excited to see Anthony Ippolito portray Sylvester Stallone?

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I PLAY ROCKY (2026)

Director: Peter FarrellyWriter: Peter GambleCast: Anthony Ippolito, AnnaSophia Robb, Matt Dillon, Toby Kebbell, P.J. Byrne, Stephan James, Jay Duplass, Tracy LettsDistributor: Amazon MGM StudiosRuntime: 128 MinutesRating: PG-13

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An R-rated Clayface horror movie with Mike Flanagan involved? As a lifelong Batman fan and lover of body horror, I couldn’t have been more excited. Unfortunately, CLAYFACE (2026) had all the ingredients to be something special but left me feeling incredibly disappointed.

In this spoiler-free episode of the Movie Files Podcast, I’m reviewing DC Studios’ latest film, directed by James Watkins and starring Tom Rhys Harries and Naomi Ackie.

We’re breaking down the film’s body horror elements, the tragic story of Matt Hagen, the performances, the frustratingly generic screenplay, uneven dialogue, inconsistent tone, and why Gotham City never quite feels like Gotham.

I’ll also discuss Mike Flanagan’s involvement, whether the movie delivers on its R-rated horror premise, and why this fascinating Batman villain deserved a much more distinctive film.

There are flashes of something great here, including some memorable transformations and standout sequences, but unfortunately, the storytelling and lack of emotional depth hold the film back.

Did CLAYFACE live up to your expectations? Did the horror deliver? And do you think the DCU missed an opportunity to do something truly special with this character?

Let me know your thoughts, and if you enjoyed this episode, please follow the Movie Files Podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, leave a rating, and share it with your fellow movie fans!

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FILM DETAILS

CLAYFACE (2026)

Directed by: James Watkins

Screenplay by: Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini

Starring: Tom Rhys Harries, Naomi Ackie, David Dencik, Max Minghella, Eddie Marsan, Nancy Carroll, and Joshua James

Studio: DC Studios

Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures

Release Date: October 23, 2026

Runtime: 108 Minutes

Genre: Superhero / Body Horror / Thriller

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Jason Voorhees’ shocking new origin, the truth behind Project Argonaut, Pamela Voorhees’ fate, and the biggest unanswered questions from Peacock and A24’s Friday the 13th prequel series!

MAJOR SPOILERS FOR ALL 8 EPISODES OF CRYSTAL LAKE!

Crystal Lake has finally arrived, and after watching the entire first season, I’m breaking down EVERYTHING!

In today’s Movie Files podcast episode, we’re diving deep into all eight episodes of Peacock’s new horror series to discuss the biggest revelations, the shocking finale, the characters, the brutal kills, and how this prequel changes the mythology of one of horror’s most iconic villains.

Did Crystal Lake just completely rewrite Jason Voorhees’ origin story? And was that actually a good decision?

We finally learn the truth about Project Argonaut, the disturbing experiments conducted by Bellflower Laboratories, and the role Jason’s father, Elias Wittering, played in transforming his son into something far beyond human.

But that’s just the beginning!

We’re also breaking down Pamela Voorhees’ tragic past, Linda Cardellini’s incredible performance, Grace’s surprising storyline, Jason’s return, his brutal confrontation with Elias, and that complicated mother-and-son reunion in the season finale.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE DISCUSS:

• Crystal Lake Episodes 1–8: Full Season 1 recap, breakdown, and analysis.
• The Ending Explained: What happens to Pamela and Jason in the finale, and how the legend of Crystal Lake begins.
• Jason Voorhees’ True Origin: How Project Argonaut connects to Jason’s unusual abilities, survival, and accelerated growth.
• Elias Wittering & Bellflower Laboratories: The experiments, their purpose, and the truth about Jason’s father.
• Pamela Voorhees Explained: Her grief, violence, motivations, and whether the series undermines her agency.
• Grace & The New Blood: Her connection to Jason, shocking actions, and unresolved storyline.
• Brutal Kills & Easter Eggs: The most memorable horror moments and connections to the Friday the 13th franchise.
• Unanswered Questions: The mysteries and character storylines that remain unresolved.
• My Final Review: What worked, what didn’t, and whether Crystal Lake delivered on its potential.

I also share my thoughts on the series’ uneven pacing, its impressive practical gore, its standout performances, and why Episodes 5 and 6 were particular highlights.

There are some genuinely great moments in Crystal Lake, but I’m still conflicted about how much of Jason’s mythology needed to be explained.

Sometimes the mystery is scarier than the explanation!

LET’S TALK HORROR!

Did you enjoy Crystal Lake Season 1?

Was Project Argonaut a brilliant addition to the Friday the 13th mythology, or did it overcomplicate Jason’s origin?

Did Pamela deserve a different ending? And what unanswered question do you most want explored next?

Let me know your thoughts, favorite kills, and overall rating!

If you enjoyed this breakdown, please follow Movie Files on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, leave a rating or review, and share this episode with another horror fan!

ABOUT CRYSTAL LAKE (2026)

Crystal Lake is an eight-episode horror drama and prequel to the Friday the 13th franchise, produced by A24 for Peacock.

The story follows Pamela Voorhees, a grieving mother whose son’s apparent drowning sets off a disturbing series of events. As strangers begin investigating her past, long-buried secrets surrounding her family and the mysterious Bellflower experiments come to light.

Series: Crystal Lake (2026)

Creator / Showrunner: Brad Caleb Kane

Starring: Linda Cardellini, William Catlett, Hamish Linklater, Devin Kessler, Cameron Scoggins, Gwendolyn Sundstrom, Callum Vinson

Streaming: Peacock

Studio: A24

Episodes: 8

Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller, Drama

Franchise: Friday the 13th

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The Friday the 13th franchise is back, but this time we’re going back to where it all began!

Today on Movie Files, I’m reviewing CRYSTAL LAKE (2026), Peacock and A24’s eight-episode prequel series from creator and showrunner Brad Caleb Kane, starring Linda Cardellini as Pamela Voorhees.

I’ve watched all eight episodes ahead of the October 15 premiere, and I’ve got plenty to say about this latest addition to one of horror’s most iconic franchises.

Let’s just say this show doesn’t hold back when it comes to the blood and brutality. But does it have the story to back it up?

In this SPOILER-FREE REVIEW, we’re discussing Linda Cardellini’s performance as Pamela Voorhees, William Catlett as Sheriff Levon Brooks, the supporting cast, the impressive practical effects, the gruesome kills, the 1970s setting, the pacing, and the show’s approach to expanding the Friday the 13th mythology.

We’ll also get into some of my biggest frustrations, including the uneven storytelling, whether the series really needed eight episodes, and why certain creative decisions left me feeling conflicted.

There are moments when Crystal Lake absolutely delivers the fun, bloody, campy horror that fans have come to expect. But there are also moments when the series struggles to justify its ambitious approach to this iconic franchise.

So, is Crystal Lake worth watching? Does Linda Cardellini deliver a definitive Pamela Voorhees? And does this new origin story add something meaningful to the Friday the 13th legacy, or was some of that mystery better left alone?

That’s what we’re getting into in today’s review!

NO MAJOR SPOILERS IN THIS EPISODE.

ABOUT CRYSTAL LAKE (2026)

Set before the events of the original Friday the 13th, Crystal Lake explores the story of Pamela Voorhees, a grieving mother struggling with the disappearance and presumed drowning of her son, Jason.

When two mysterious strangers arrive in town looking into Pamela’s past, a disturbing chain of events begins to uncover secrets about her life and the seemingly peaceful community of Crystal Lake.

Series: Crystal Lake (2026)Franchise: Friday the 13thCreator / Showrunner: Brad Caleb KaneStarring: Linda Cardellini, William Catlett, Devin Kessler, Cameron Scoggins, Gwendolyn SundstromStudio: A24Streaming: PeacockPremiere: October 15, 2026Episodes: 8

WHAT’S NEXT ON MOVIE FILES?

The Crystal Lake coverage doesn’t stop here!

Stay tuned for my upcoming full-season spoiler breakdown and ending explained, where we’ll dive into the biggest reveals, Jason Voorhees mythology, character mysteries, Easter eggs, the finale, unanswered questions, and what the series could mean for the future of Friday the 13th.

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In this episode of the Movie Files Podcast, I’m reviewing The Social Reckoning (2026), the new biographical legal thriller written and directed by Aaron Sorkin and starring Mikey Madison, Jeremy Allen White, Jeremy Strong, Bill Burr, Wunmi Mosaku, Betty Gilpin, and Billy Magnussen.

There’s a lot I like about this movie. The subject matter surrounding Facebook, Meta, algorithms, misinformation, online radicalization, whistleblowers, and the power these massive companies have over the information people see is incredibly relevant. Aaron Sorkin’s writing is still sharp, fast, clever, and full of that signature dialogue where everybody feels like the smartest person in the room.

Jeremy Allen White understands that rhythm perfectly and gives one of the strongest performances in the movie. Mikey Madison took a little longer to win me over, but by the end I thought she was really strong, and Bill Burr ended up being one of the biggest surprises.

But the biggest issue for me is the direction.

For a story dealing with material this dark, dangerous, and timely, The Social Reckoning often feels too safe. The filmmaking doesn’t always match the weight of what Sorkin is writing, and watching this movie honestly made me appreciate David Fincher’s work on The Social Network even more.

I also get into why Jeremy Strong’s portrayal of Mark Zuckerberg didn’t completely work for me, some of the scenes that really fell flat, and why this feels like a good political thriller that had all the ingredients to be something much better.

Let me know what you thought of The Social Reckoning. Did Jeremy Strong work for you as Zuckerberg? Did you feel David Fincher’s absence? And where does this rank among Aaron Sorkin’s movies?

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Netflix’s BELOW had me hooked early on.

Josh Hartnett. A remote Newfoundland fishing community. Something massive hiding beneath the water. An ancient iceberg. Local folklore. Strange behavior spreading through the town. And a creature mystery that initially gave me some serious JAWS meets coastal folk-horror vibes.

But after watching all six episodes, I found myself in a very different place by the finale.

In this episode of the Movie Files Podcast, I’m reviewing and breaking down Netflix’s BELOW, starring Josh Hartnett, Mackenzie Davis and Charlie Heaton. We start spoiler-free with the performances, Newfoundland setting, creature-feature atmosphere, Penney family drama, mythology and whether the series is worth watching.

Then we get into FULL SPOILERS and discuss Species A, the iceberg, the contamination, Wade, the Old Hag mystery, Maggie, Little Pot Rock, Mudder, the Crocker conspiracy, the resettlement storyline and what ultimately happens in the finale.

The biggest question for me became simple:

What happens when the mystery is more interesting than the answers?

Because BELOW starts with an eerie, restrained approach that really worked for me, but the more the series explained its mythology, the less invested I became. We’ll talk about where that shift happens, why some of the family drama never fully landed for me, what I did like about the ending, and whether the six-episode series ultimately delivers on its potential.

BELOW is now streaming on Netflix.

What did you think of the series? Did the creature mythology and finale work for you, or were you more interested in the mystery before everything was explained?

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Mike Flanagan’s CARRIE (2026) is finally streaming on Prime Video, and we’re breaking down all eight episodes in this full spoiler discussion, series breakdown and ending explained.

We get into everything that happened at prom, Tommy’s fate, Chris and Billy, Emma “taking the wheel,” the meaning behind “I Exist,” Carrie and Margaret’s final confrontation, the truth about Emmaline West, Margaret’s powers, the TK gene, the mysterious interviewer, the gifted women, Sue’s memories and Carrie’s surprising final moments.

We also discuss what “My World?” means, whether Emma can actually be trusted, how this ending completely changes Carrie White’s traditional story, the biggest unanswered questions heading out of the season, and what Mike Flanagan could potentially explore next.

Plus, I take a step back and look at the season as a whole: why Flanagan wanted to reinvent Stephen King’s Carrie, what worked and didn’t work for me, why Episode 7 became the turning point, and whether this story ultimately justified being told across eight episodes.

FULL SPOILERS for all eight episodes of CARRIE (2026).

Do you trust Emma? Do you think she’s Amanda’s daughter? What do you think the mysterious organization wants with Carrie? And did the ending make you want another season?

Let me know your thoughts and make sure you follow the Movie Files Podcast for more movie reviews, TV breakdowns, ending explained episodes and spoiler discussions.

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The LANTERNS Season 1 finale finally answers the mystery that started everything: Who killed Hal Jordan?

In this full spoiler breakdown of LANTERNS Episode 8, “Dirt and Stars,” Elliott dives into the shocking truth behind Hal Jordan’s death, Noah’s Manhunter reveal, Sinestro’s role in the finale, the fear-forged lantern, and the moment John Stewart finally chooses to become Green Lantern on his own terms.

We break down:

• Kerry Kane being revealed as Hal Jordan’s killer• Why fear not hatred ultimately led to Hal’s death• The truth about Noah and his Manhunter programming• Why Noah freed Sinestro• Sinestro’s philosophy that fear can become power• The new lantern forged from a world consumed by fear• John Stewart and Noah’s conversation about programming vs. choice• Why John refuses to kill Noah• John’s decision to let Kerry walk away• Guy Gardner confronting John about the Guardians• John becoming an independent Green Lantern• Hal-O-Gram’s emotional final goodbye• “Don’t be afraid to be afraid” and what it means for the season• John Stewart creating his own Green Lantern oath• What the finale could be setting up for Season 2

The season began with one question:

“Are you afraid?”

And the finale gives John Stewart his answer.

He doesn’t deny fear like Hal once tried to. He doesn’t weaponize it like Sinestro. John accepts it and chooses what comes next anyway.

That choice finally completes John Stewart’s journey from someone raised to become Green Lantern…to someone who decides for himself that he wants the ring.

Plus, we look back at LANTERNS Season 1 as a whole, the relationship between John and Hal, the season’s themes of fear, parenting, programming and identity, and where characters like Noah, Sinestro, Guy Gardner, Kerry Kane and the Guardians could go next.

SPOILERS throughout.

What did you think of the finale? Was John right to spare Noah? Should Kerry have faced consequences for Hal’s death? And what should Season 2 do with Sinestro and the Guardians?

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Mike Flanagan has taken on Stephen King’s Carrie and turned it into an eight-episode Prime Video series but did this story really need that much time?

In this spoiler-free review, I’m breaking down all eight episodes of Carrie (2026), including Summer H. Howell’s performance as Carrie White, Samantha Sloyan’s Margaret White, the modern high-school setting, the YA tone, social-media commentary, expanded mythology, horror, and some of the biggest changes Flanagan makes to the story.

And if you’ve been following my coverage, you know this one was a journey. There were stretches where the series really wasn’t working for me, but the final episodes changed the way I looked at a lot of what came before.

So does Carrie justify eight episodes? Does the modern update work? And is this reinvention different enough to make another version of Stephen King’s classic worth watching?

This review is completely spoiler-free.

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Hal Jordan’s past changes everything in LANTERNS Season 1 Episode 7, “The Jordan Boys’ Legacy.” Elliott breaks down the emotional truth behind Hal’s fearlessness, John Stewart’s journey, the meaning of the baseball, the mystery surrounding Hal’s death, and the shocking return of Sinestro.

This week, John teams up with the Hal-O-Gram to follow a secret trail left behind by the older Hal Jordan one that takes them off-world and forces both men to confront the childhood experiences that shaped them.

We discuss:

• The real meaning of the Jordan Boys’ Legacy• Why Hal says he wasn’t fearless because he was brave but because he was broken• The baseball metaphor and why Hal could never truly let go• John Stewart confronting the fear he was taught to suppress• Why John finally calling him “Hal” matters• Kerry’s knowledge of Martin Jordan’s death• The possibility that Hal’s death may not have been murder• Noah’s still-unresolved mystery• Hal’s hidden vault and Einstein-Rosen bridge• What happened to Antaan’s homeworld• Why older Hal had secretly been traveling there• Sinestro’s return and what it could mean for the finale• The growing connection between fear, yellow, and Green Lantern mythology

The episode’s biggest question may no longer simply be “Who killed Hal Jordan?”

It may be:

What if nobody did?

And with Sinestro now standing at the center of the mystery, the Season 1 finale suddenly has a lot more to answer.

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Brad Pitt leads David Ayer’s Heart of the Beast, but the biggest surprise might be his four-legged co-star. In this spoiler-free review, I break down Pitt’s subtle performance, why this feels like a return to form for David Ayer, the film’s emotional survival story, and why Uber as Odin delivers one of the best dog performances I’ve seen in a movie.

As a dog owner myself, the bond between James and Odin hit me harder than I expected, and there were several moments that genuinely got me emotional. Is Heart of the Beast one of 2026’s most heartfelt surprises?

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What’s the greatest dog performance you’ve ever seen in a movie?

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Hal Jordan is dead and John Stewart may have been one of the last people to see him alive. In LANTERNS Episode 6, “Bad Optics,” Elliott breaks down Hal’s murder, the ten-year fallout from Rushville, John’s return to the Green Lantern ring, Guy Gardner, Carol Ferris, Sinestro’s escape, and the suspects now surrounding the case.

After years apart, John and Hal finally reunite in Rushville only for Hal to turn up dead just hours later with a point-blank gunshot wound and a freshly broken nose caused by John himself.

This week, we dive into why Hal returned to Rushville, his relationship with Kerry, the meaning behind his nearly empty funeral, and how John’s life as an architect shows that he may have left Green Lantern behind without ever truly escaping what happened in 2016.

We also break down Guy Gardner’s arrival, why he never inherited Hal’s original ring, the major Sinestro reveal, Maggie’s connection to the destruction of Rushville, Noah’s unresolved mystery, Carol Ferris’ introduction, Hal’s locked vault, and why the return of the Hal-O-Gram could finally crack the murder case open.

And then there’s the biggest question:

Why didn’t Hal Jordan fight back?

Was the killer someone Hal trusted? Someone he loved? Someone he felt he owed? Or is the truth even stranger than it appears?

Topics include:

Hal Jordan’s murder • John Stewart in 2026 • Guy Gardner • Hal’s Green Lantern ring • Sinestro’s escape • Carol Ferris • Kerry Kane • Billy Macon • Maggie • Noah • Hal’s vault • the Hal-O-Gram • DCU connections • Batman reference • Metropolis • the missing ten years • Episode 7 theories

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In this episode of the Movie Files Podcast, Elliott reviews RESIDENT EVIL (2026), the new survival-horror adaptation from Barbarian and Weapons director Zach Cregger, starring Austin Abrams, Zach Cherry, Kali Reis, and Paul Walter Hauser.

For the first 30–40 minutes, Resident Evil had Elliott convinced he might be watching one of his favorite horror movies of the year. The tension is incredible, the atmosphere is suffocating, the scares actually land, and Austin Abrams delivers a fantastic performance as Bryan a character who essentially feels like the PLAYER dropped directly into a Resident Evil game.

I break down why Zach Cregger is so effective at building suspense, how the film captures the feeling of actually playing survival horror, the impressive creature designs, body horror, gore, and why Abrams continues to be one of the most exciting young actors to watch.

But as Resident Evil gets bigger, crazier, campier, and more comedic, does it lose some of the fear and anxiety that made that opening stretch so effective? Elliott discusses the difficult balance between horror and comedy, why some of the humor worked while other moments took him out of the experience, and why the ending ultimately left him wanting more.

So is this the best Resident Evil movie adaptation yet? Does Zach Cregger finally capture what makes the games so terrifying? And why did a movie I really enjoyed still leave him wishing he had loved it?

Find out in this spoiler-free review.

Topics: Resident Evil review, Resident Evil 2026, Zach Cregger, Austin Abrams, Resident Evil movie, survival horror, horror movies 2026, video game adaptations, Resident Evil games, body horror, creature design, horror comedy, Movie Files Podcast.

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John Stewart finally gets the Green Lantern ring in LANTERNS Episode 5, “Lights Out” and then chooses to walk away from the destiny he’s spent his entire life chasing.

Elliott breaks down Zoe’s final plan, the truth about Abin Sur, Rushville’s destruction, Hal and John’s brutal fallout, and why John rejecting the ring may actually prove he’s finally worthy of it.

Plus, what did Zoe really teach Noah, where does Hal’s ring go next, and what happened during the missing ten years before Hal Jordan’s death in 2026?

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Ten years after The Wailing, director Na Hong-jin returns with HOPE, an ambitious Korean sci-fi creature feature starring Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, Hoyeon, Taylor Russell, Cameron Britton, Alicia Vikander and Michael Fassbender.

And I genuinely cannot remember the last time a movie left me this conflicted.

There are stretches of HOPE that feel like a near-masterpiece: incredible tension, visceral filmmaking, phenomenal practical stunt work and two absolutely insane car chase sequences. The first half had me completely locked in as the movie slowly builds its creature mystery without showing us too much too soon.

But once those creatures are fully revealed…things changed for me.

In this episode, I’m breaking down why the CGI became such a major distraction, why some of the comedy and nearly 3-hour runtime started working against the movie, and why the final stretch left me feeling like an entire piece of the story was missing.

And somehow, despite all of those frustrations…I still recommend seeing it on the biggest screen possible.

HOPE is one of the most ambitious, thrilling and frustrating movies I’ve seen in 2026 — and probably the most conflicted 3/5 I’ve ever given.

Spoiler-Free Review

Topics include:Na Hong-jin’s direction • HOPE’s creature design • CGI vs. practical effects • the car chase sequences • performances • comedy • pacing • IMAX experience • the ending • sequel setup • final rating

If you’ve seen HOPE, let me know where you landed on this one — masterpiece, mess…or somewhere in between?

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LANTERNS Season 1 Episode 4 pushes John Stewart deeper into the mystery surrounding Zoe, the Manhunters, and the Guardians while raising an even bigger question: how much of who we become is actually our own choice?

In this full spoiler breakdown, I discuss Zoe’s true nature and whether she should be viewed as a monster, a victim, or something far more complicated. We also dive into John’s growing connection with her, the episode’s fascinating parallel between Manhunter programming and John’s own upbringing, and why John immediately questions whether someone created for a specific purpose can still choose a different path.

Plus, we break down Lianna and the Guardians, whether John should really trust what he’s being told, Hal Jordan’s continued distrust of the Corps, the tension developing between Hal and John, and the larger mystery surrounding what the Guardians may be hiding about the Manhunters.

There are also some major questions still hanging over Rushville, the Benefactor, Abin Sur, and what all of this could mean for John Stewart’s future as Green Lantern.

This is my full SPOILER Review, Discussion, Deep Dive and Scene Breakdown of LANTERNS Episode 4.

What do you think: Is Zoe a monster or the real victim? Can John trust the Guardians? And does Zoe actually have a choice?

Topics include:LANTERNS Episode 4, John Stewart, Hal Jordan, Zoe, Manhunters, Lianna, the Guardians, Green Lantern Corps, Rushville, DCU theories, Easter eggs, ending explained, and Episode 4 theories.

Movie Files New episodes covering LANTERNS, DCU theories, movie reviews, TV breakdowns, ending explained videos, and more.

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Lanterns Episode 3, “OutKast,” gives us our deepest look yet at John Stewart and completely reframes his Green Lantern origin.

Elliott breaks down the huge reveal that John Stewart Sr. was originally chosen by a Green Lantern ring before Hal Jordan and how admitting he was afraid ultimately shaped the way John was raised.

We dive into Bernadette Stewart, Black exceptionalism, fear, emotional repression, family expectations and identity, including the pressure placed on John as a child, his growing distance from his brothers, and why his mother taught him to control emotions she was also struggling to suppress herself.

Plus, we explain why the mysterious bird construct from Episode 2 suddenly means so much more, John’s military career, his artistic side, the incredibly detailed watch construct and its DC Comics connection, and why John may ultimately become a great Lantern not just because he’s a soldier but because he’s an artist.

And then comes the major reveal: the Guardians don’t want John to be Hal Jordan’s backup. They want him to replace Hal.

Which makes Hal telling John he’ll get the ring “over my dead body” VERY interesting considering what we already know happens ten years later.

Topics Discussed: John Stewart’s origin • John Sr. and the Green Lantern ring • Bernadette Stewart • Black exceptionalism • John’s childhood and brothers • the bird construct • John’s military career • his artistic side • Green Lantern comic connections • “OutKast” meaning • Hal Jordan’s replacement • “over my dead body” foreshadowing

John Stewart wasn’t raised to be fearless he was raised to make fear invisible.

Did John’s parents prepare him for greatness, or sacrifice too much of his childhood trying?

Lanterns is streaming on HBO Max.

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In this episode of the Movie Files Podcast, Elliott reviews BUDDY (2026), the bizarre new horror-comedy from director Casper Kelly starring Keegan-Michael Key, Cristin Milioti, and Delaney Quinn.

Imagine Barney, Pee-wee’s Playhouse, Five Nights at Freddy’s, The Backrooms, and Alice in Wonderland colliding inside one colorful childhood nightmare.

Elliott breaks down why Buddy completely surprised him, including its incredible production design, creepy children’s-show aesthetic, awkward humor, strong performances, and the surprisingly interesting themes of childhood innocence, control, and manipulation.

He also discusses where the movie falls short, why he wanted more answers about the mythology and mechanics of Buddy’s world, and why his horror-loving brain wished the kills went just a little harder.

Is BUDDY worth watching? Is this giant orange unicorn basically Barney from Hell? And how did something this strange actually work?

Find out in this spoiler-free review.

Topics: Buddy review, Buddy 2026, Buddy movie review, horror movies 2026, horror comedy, Keegan-Michael Key, Cristin Milioti, Casper Kelly, new horror movies, Movie Files Podcast

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The mystery gets even deeper in Lanterns Episode 2, “Trust Fall.”

In this episode of Movie Files, Elliott breaks down everything from Episode 2, including the shocking reveal surrounding the Manhunter, why Antaan and his people are really in Rushville, and what it could mean for Abin Sur’s mysterious arrival in Nebraska.

We also dive into the growing tension between John Stewart and Hal Jordan, the meaning behind the episode’s “Trust Fall” title, John’s relationship with Zoe, the mystery surrounding Will Macon’s Benefactor, and why there may be something much bigger happening underneath Rushville.

Plus, we explore the biggest DC theories coming out of the episode, including possible connections to the Manhunters, Atrocitus, the Red Lanterns, and the larger mythology being built for the DCU.

Topics Discussed:

• Lanterns Episode 2 full breakdown
• The Manhunter explained
• Did the Manhunter kill Abin Sur?
• Why Antaan is hunting the Manhunter
• John Stewart and Hal Jordan’s trust issues
• What makes Rushville so important?
• Will Macon and the mysterious Benefactor
• Red Lantern and Atrocitus theories
• Easter eggs, DC Comics connections & Episode 3 theories

What do you think the Manhunter is really doing in Rushville and do you trust Hal Jordan after Episode 2?

Lanterns is streaming on HBO Max.

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LANTERNS is officially here, and Episode 1 gives us a grounded Green Lantern mystery filled with major questions, character development, DC Comics connections and one shocking ending.

In this episode, I break down the premiere scene by scene while diving deeper into Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart, Kyle Chandler’s Hal Jordan, their mentor-and-trainee dynamic, the recurring theme of fear, John’s mysterious family history, Abin Sur’s connection to Nebraska, the Rushville case, the Halogram, Will Macon, Waylon Sanders and the biggest clues the series may be setting up.

We also open the LANTERNS Case File and discuss some of the premiere’s biggest questions and theories:

Who killed Hal Jordan?Who took his ring?Why was Abin Sur really in Nebraska?What are Waylon’s people seeking vengeance for?Who does Will Macon work for?And is Hal Jordan actually gone?

Plus, I give my full spoiler review of Episode 1, including thoughts on Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler’s performances, their chemistry, the grounded True Detective-inspired tone and whether this approach will work for longtime Green Lantern fans.

Full spoilers ahead.

Follow Movie Files for weekly LANTERNS reviews, breakdowns, theories, DC connections and Case File updates throughout the season.

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