Jon Negroni and Will Ashton break down Superman, the bold new reboot from DC Studios and director James Gunn. Starring David Corenswet as the Man of Steel and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, the film launches the first chapter of Gunn’s DCU with a surprising blend of warmth, wit, and world-building.

Jon and Will unpack the movie’s heartfelt tone, its standout performances, and whether Gunn’s vision successfully updates Superman for a new generation. They debate the film’s commentary, its ambitious ensemble of DC characters, and how Superman balances sincerity with satire in a cinematic landscape that’s maybe forgotten how to hope.

Links:

• Read Jon’s written review of the film here!
• Email your feedback for the show to cinemaholicspodcast [at] gmail.com
• Join our Discord and chat with us! We have a Cinemaholics channel here.
• Check out our Cinemaholics Merch!
• Connect with Cinemaholics on Facebook and Instagram.

Support our show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cinemaholics

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Special guest Mike Overhulse of the Mad Men Men podcast joins Jon Negroni and Will Ashton to break down Mission: Impossible – Final Reckoning, the latest (and possibly final?) installment in the long-running spy franchise starring Tom Cruise as the ever-unbreakable Ethan Hunt. Directed once again by Christopher McQuarrie, the film sends the IMF team on a high-octane collision course with a rogue AI known as The Entity, in what may be the most self-aware entry in the series to date.

Jon, Will, and Mike unpack the film’s jaw-dropping action sequences, its tangled narrative web, and how Final Reckoning reflects a growing anxiety in Hollywood around digital threats both on and off the screen. They debate the movie’s emotional stakes, its increasingly meta commentary on Cruise’s career, and whether this half of the story sticks the landing as a standalone film.

Links:

• Read Jon's critic review of the film here!
• Email your feedback for the show to cinemaholicspodcast [at] gmail.com
• Join our Discord and chat with us! We have a Cinemaholics channel here.
• Check out our Cinemaholics Merch!
• Connect with Cinemaholics on Facebook and Instagram.

Support our show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cinemaholics

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will Ashton returns with a solo Instant Take on Another Simple Favor, the Amazon Prime sequel to Paul Feig’s 2018 suburban noir comedy-thriller A Simple Favor. With Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively reprising their roles, this follow-up heads to Italy for a destination wedding filled with secrets, frenemy tension, and stylish intrigue.

Will breaks down what works—and what fizzles—in this second helping. Despite a few fun twists and an appealing setting in Capri, the film struggles to recapture the charm of the original. Kendrick’s character lacks clear evolution, while Lively’s return, though enjoyable, can’t quite carry the film through its sillier and more uneven second half.

With vibes that feel more White Lotus than Gone Girl, Another Simple Favor tries to balance camp, crime, and couture. Will questions whether this sequel really needed to exist at all, comparing it to other lackluster follow-ups (The Whole Ten Yards, anyone?) that get the gang back together but forget the plot.

If you were a fan of the first film, there are still some moments of cheeky fun—like a memorable truth serum scene—but overall, this one might leave you regretting asking for more.

Links:

• Email your feedback for the show to cinemaholicspodcast [at] gmail.com
• Join our Discord and chat with us! We have a Cinemaholics channel here.
• Check out our Cinemaholics Merch!
• Check out our Patreon to support Cinemaholics!
• Connect with Cinemaholics on Facebook and Instagram.

Support our show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cinemaholics

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.