Episode 286: Episode 286 - Top 10 Films of 2025

On the two hundred and eighty-sixth episode of THE THIRD ACT PODCAST, the crew are once again counting down their favorite films while aggressively nodding.Christian and Jericho join forces to reckon with the year that was 2025 by unveiling their respective Top 10 lists while fawning over/complaining about the state of modern cinema. Putting the year in movies into perspective has rarely felt this complicated, but the possibility for shock and awe is always on the horizon.They also discuss Song Sung Blue, movies as dreams, brain rot, and MUBI.Subscribe to Jericho's Substack: symbioticreviews.substack.comKeep in touch with us on Instagram and email us anytime at: [email protected]   

On the two hundred and eighty-fifth episode of THE THIRD ACT PODCAST, the crew are living their cram-American dream.Christian and Jericho burn the midnight oil to record the annual Cram Session episode where they discuss all of the 2025 films they watched in preparation for their upcoming Fav Films of the Year lists. It's a big one! Movies discussed on the show:HAMNET, MARTY SUPREME, WHERE TO LAND, IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT, RESURRECTION, NO OTHER CHOICE, THE BALLAD OF SUZANNE CESAIRE, THE HISTORY OF SOUND, SENTIMENTAL VALUE, WAKE UP DEAD MAN, THE MASTERMIND, UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE, ROOFMAN, VULCANIZADORA, NE ZHA 2, THE ACTOR, SUSPENDED TIME, ARCHITECTON, THE BALCONETTES,  MEGADOC, THE HOUSEMAID, WHO BY FIRE, AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH, YOU BURN ME, ALPHA, 2000 METERS TO ANDRIIVKA, JAWS AT 50, THE ALABAMA SOLUTION, PEE WEE AS HIMSELF, A USEFUL GHOST, KEEPER, DICIANNOVE (19), RADU JUDE'S DRACULA,  COVER-UP, NUREMBERG, LEFT-HANDED GIRL, TO A LAND UNKNOWN, ZOOTOPIA 2, MOUNTAINHEAD, TOGETHER, SHELBY OAKS, SISU: ROAD TO REVENGE, ANACONDA, THE GREAT FLOOD, ETERNITY, 7 WALKS WITH MARK BROWN, THE SECRET AGENT, PETER HUJAR'S DAY, LATE SHIFT, BLUE SUN PALACE, SONG SUNG BLUESubscribe to Jericho's Substack: symbioticreviews.substack.comKeep in touch with us on Instagram and email us anytime at: [email protected]  

On the two hundred and eighty-fourth episode of THE THIRD ACT PODCAST, the crew are chasing a sense of discovery.Christian and Jericho celebrate the new year by gushing about their respective 5 fav old films they watched in 2025. There's something for everyone here; from avant-garde curios to languid classics of 70s cinema!They also talk about Christian's index cards, Dr. Mayra consultations, and looming cram session anxiety.Subscribe to Jericho's Substack: symbioticreviews.substack.comKeep in touch with us on Instagram and email us anytime at: [email protected]   

On the two hundred and eighty-third episode of THE THIRD ACT PODCAST, the crew are sipping spiked eggnog and yearning for the Flicksmas singers.Christian, Jericho, Armando, and returning guest Mayra Russo usher in the 2025 edition of Merry Flicksmas (an annual crossover with the fine folks at The Flicksation Podcast) with reviews of Todd Haynes' 2015 romantic drama CAROL, 2005 Mike Patton-starring cult thriller FIRECRACKER, 2008 French melodrama A CHRISTMAS TALE, and Céline Sciamma's 2021 Ghibli-esque fable PETITE MAMAN. Meanwhile, SENTIMENTAL VALUE, IF I HAD LEGS I'D KICK YOU, WHITE NOISE (2022), DOG DAY AFTERNOON (1975), GREMLINS (1984), ROOFMAN, JAY KELLY, and ELLA MCCAY are up for discussion in the Recently Watched segment.They also chat Xmas music playlists, super sub Robert Gassaway, Discord ambient noise reduction, Mayra having a doctorate, Flickmas singers lore, and Bobby "Uncannavale Valley."  Subscribe to Jericho's Substack: symbioticreviews.substack.comKeep in touch with us on Instagram and email us anytime at: [email protected]   

On the two hundred and eighty-second episode of THE THIRD ACT PODCAST, the crew are getting a double dose of Dick.Christian, Jericho, and Armando jump in front of the mics for reviews of two new Richard Linklater joints; the amiable story of how Jean Luc Godard made the 1960 classic BREATHLESS titled NOUVELLE VAGUE, and Ethan Hawke-starring chamber drama about renowned lyricist Lorenz Hart, BLUE MOON.They also chat about annual Xmas movie favs, egg nog etiquette, the lore behind Christian's "sorry I'm drinks" mantra, aesthetic nostalgia, and annoyingly verbose sad guys at the bar.Subscribe to Jericho's Substack: symbioticreviews.substack.comKeep in touch with us on Instagram and email us anytime at: [email protected]    

On the two hundred and eighty-first episode of THE THIRD ACT PODCAST, the crew are going feral.Christian and Jericho discuss two films about complicated mothers with reviews of Lynne Ramsey's DIE MY LOVE and Mary Bronstein's IF I HAD LEGS I'D KICK YOU. But first, they launch into YEAST (2008), ANEMONE, PREDATOR: BADLANDS, and Guillermo Del Toro's FRANKENSTEIN in a sprawling Recently Watched segment.They also chat digital sheen, postpartum depression, and whether or not listening to someone else's dream is actually worthwhile.Subscribe to Jericho's Substack: symbioticreviews.substack.comKeep in touch with us on Instagram and email us anytime at: [email protected]  

On the two hundred and eightieth episode of THE THIRD ACT PODCAST, the crew are on the verge of extinction.Christian and Jericho leap into the twisted mind of Yorgos Lanthimos with a review of conspiracy drama BUGONIA and then sweat ballistic missles in the Situation Room to tackle Kathryn Bigelow's nuclear political thriller, A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE for an episode titled "Bigelow V Bugonia." But first, THE SMASHING MACHINE and CLOUD get the Recently Watched treatment.They also discuss backloaded 2025 releases, the ANACONDA remake, conspiracy theory brain rot, on the nose needle drops, auteur theory, American exceptionalism, and POTUS jump shots.Subscribe to Jericho's Substack: symbioticreviews.substack.comKeep in touch with us on Instagram and email us anytime at: [email protected]  

On the two hundred and seventy-ninth episode of THE THIRD ACT PODCAST, the crew are trying to listen more and talk less.Christian and Jericho wade into the discourse with reviews of Luca Guadagnino's polarizing cancel culture satire(?) AFTER THE HUNT, writer-director-star Eva Victor's comic drama debut, SORRY, BABY, and Sarah Polley's 2023 parable of shame and abuse, WOMEN TALKING.They also discuss preening misogynists, Gen X diatribes, religious trauma, and combining humor with tragedy.Subscribe to Jericho's Substack: symbioticreviews.substack.comKeep in touch with us on Instagram and email us anytime at: [email protected]  

On the two hundred and seventy-eighth episode of THE THIRD ACT PODCAST, the crew are experiencing strange tingling sensations.Christian, Jericho, and returning guest Mayra Russo get together for a spooky season-themed episode titled "Horror Hive 2025" where they dissect three horror-adjacent films, William Castle's 1959 camp classic THE TINGLER, German artist/filmmaker Muscha's lo-fi punk curio DECODER (1984), and Alejandro Amenábar's 1996 cerebral thriller, THESIS. But first, THE SPIDER LABYRINTH (1988), MAGIC (1978), THE ETERNAL (1998), PLAY DIRTY, Larry Cohen's Q (1982), KPOP DEMON HUNTERS, HIM, THEY SHOOT HORSES, DON'T THEY? (1969), and ROOFMAN get the jumbo Recently Watched treatment.  They also discuss 1950's domesticity/sexual repression, screaming to relieve tension, surveillance states, punk analog mixtapes, AI slop, audiovisual violence, and inviting your stalker to coffee.Subscribe to Jericho's Substack: symbioticreviews.substack.comKeep in touch with us on Instagram and email us anytime at: [email protected]  

On the two hundred and seventy-seventh episode of THE THIRD ACT PODCAST, the crew are joining the resistance.Christian, Jericho, and Armando reconvene for a very special episode titled "PTA Meeting II: One Bake Sale After Another" where they review Paul Thomas Anderson's sprawling comic action epic, ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER (which they saw together in Oakland, Ca!). But first, THE NAKED GUN (2025), DANGEROUS ANIMALS, THE TRIGGER EFFECT (1996), EBONY & IVORY, EDDINGTON, JOBE'Z WORLD (2018), THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME, A REAL PAIN (2024), KPOP DEMON HUNTERS, and BEFORE SUNSET (2004) get the jumbo-sized Recently Watched treatment.They also discuss performative crowd reactions, bong rips, neoliberal wet dreams, generational baton passing, and PTA power rankings.Subscribe to Jericho's Substack: symbioticreviews.substack.comKeep in touch with us on Instagram and email us anytime at: [email protected]