The Couch Critics

"Send us a Text!" A Pokemon movie can have a legendary setting, a mythical Pokemon, and a big villain chase, then still feel like it’s spinning its wheels. That’s the vibe I wrestle with as I continue my Pokemon journey solo and review Pokemon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea on The Couch Critics. I walk through the core setup: Manaphy becomes the key to reaching a hidden sea temple tied...

"Send us a Text!" Four movies in one sitting should feel like a dare, but that’s exactly what makes this Cinema Sunday so much fun. We jump from a heartfelt Toy Story 5 review with a very special guest (my daughter, fresh off her first movie theater trip) to a brutally honest Scary Movie reaction, then into a clean-comedy family film, and finally a big swing with Masters of the Universe....

"Send us a Text!" Mewtwo plus Genesect should be a slam dunk: two human-made Pokemon, a city under siege, and a finale packed with legendary-level destruction. But sometimes a movie can do everything “big” and still feel weirdly empty, and that’s exactly what I wrestle with as I review Pokemon the Movie: Genesect and the Legend Awakened. If you’ve ever watched a franchise entry that look...

"Send us a Text!" Two Pokemon movies kicked off my worst-to-best ranking season, and they immediately raised a question I didn’t expect to be so decisive: when a Pokemon can talk for most of the movie, does it deepen the story or break the spell? I’m Nathan, and on The Couch Critics I start our Pokemon journey at the bottom of the list with “Diancie and the Cocoon of Danger or something”...

"Send us a Text!" Summer releases are here, and we’re coming in hot for the season six premiere of The Couch Critics. I’m joined by returning guest Lexi and first-timer JP, and the three of us waste absolutely no time turning a casual catch-up into a full-on debate about what makes a movie worth your ticket: story, nostalgia, performances, rewatch value, and whether it’s actually fun whe...

"Send us a Text!" A season finale shouldn’t feel like homework, so we end our Christmas movie journey with a true mixed bag and some honest ratings. After nearly 100 “Christmas” movies, I’m down to the final stretch and it turns into a great litmus test for what actually makes a holiday movie work: setting, music, message, and that hard-to-define warm feeling people chase every December....

"Send us a Text!" The fastest way to start an argument at Christmas is to ask one question: what counts as a Christmas movie? Nathan brings Mitch on the mic, and between two theatre teachers crawling toward the end of the school year, we tear into four very different picks from the ongoing Christmas watchlist. One of them is a Disney favorite that somehow has almost zero Christmas in it,...

"Send us a Text!" A movie can feel like hot cocoa and still have nothing to do with Christmas, and that’s the line I’m testing today. I’m flying solo as I review two comfort-heavy favorites from very different corners of the movie universe: Paddington (with a big spotlight on Paddington 2) and the classic musical White Christmas. Along the way, I separate “holiday mood” from “holiday mov...

"Send us a Text!" I fell asleep during a Christmas cartoon and I’m not even sorry. Santa’s Apprentice has the ingredients for a sweet holiday story, but the pacing drags, the premise feels oddly put together, and the whole thing lands more “background noise” than family movie night. I break down what doesn’t work, why it bored me, and where it ends up on my Christmas rating scale versus...

"Send us a Text!" Five movies in one run sounds like a terrible idea until you’re hanging out with friends who will actually argue about what makes a holiday film work. We’re back on Couch Critics with Nathan, Lexi, and Katy, and we jump from Netflix comfort-watch territory to 90s chaos to Pixar weirdness without stopping to catch our breath. It’s a fast, honest holiday movie review sess...

"Send us a Text!" If your holiday watch list is packed with movies that barely mention Christmas, we’re right there with you and we’re ready to argue about it. Nathan is joined by Lexi and Mitch to judge two romantic comedies on two separate scales: how good they are as actual Christmas movies and how well they hold up as movies, period. Along the way, we throw in a spicy side debate abo...

"Send us a Text!" Ever notice how a “holiday classic” can feel like a warm blanket to one person and a paper-thin ritual to another? We put that tension to the test with a brisk takedown of Trolls Holiday and a lively, good-faith clash over The Nightmare Before Christmas—covering what makes a film feel truly seasonal, how music and mood can carry a story, and when expectations sabotage t...

"Send us a Text!" A stop‑motion staple, a Hallmark sleeper, and a slasher juggernaut walk into our Sunday lineup—and only one walks out with our hearts. We kick off with The Little Drummer Boy and ask why a canonized “classic” can still feel thin: vivid Rankin/Bass textures and evergreen carols can’t quite cover for sketchy motivation or a miracle beat that never gets earned. It’s short,...

"Send us a Text!" In this festive episode, Lexie and Nathan dive into four very different holiday films: The Christmas Chronicles , Noel , Silent Night , and The Great Rupert — and let’s just say… not all Christmas movies land on the “nice” list. They kick things off with The Christmas Chronicles , praising its energetic adventure, sharp humor, and that scene-stealing take on Santa that...

"Send us a Text!" This week on the show we’re diving into two very different 90s classics: a film that restored our Christmas cheer and one that… frankly, left us scratching our heads. First up is The Santa Clause — a heartwarming holiday adventure starring Tim Allen as Scott Calvin, a regular guy who literally becomes Santa Claus after an unexpected rooftop encounter with the real Saint...

"Send us a Text!" In this episode, we take a fun double-feature dive into Shazam! and Shrek the Halls —two very different holiday-adjacent watches with very different outcomes. We look back at Shazam! as a superhero movie that had charm and heart, but ultimately wasn’t the big hit many expected, falling short of making a lasting splash in the crowded comic-book movie landscape. On the fl...

"Send us a Text!" Let’s be honest. This episode is less about One Night in the Tropics and Buck Privates… and much more about how Abbott & Costello became Abbott & Costello. Yes, we talk about the movies. But mostly, we follow the spark. The moment a pairing clicks. The strange, wonderful alchemy that turns two performers into a comedy institution. These films aren’t just early e...

"Send us a Text!" This week on the podcast, we took a sleigh ride through two very different Christmas stories. One classic, one modern, both built around the big red suit. We’ll be honest. Lexie and I struggled with The Year Without Santa Claus. While we appreciate its place in Christmas movie history, it just didn’t land for us the way we hoped. The story, pacing, and characters left u...

"Send us a Text!" One film arrives wrapped in stop-motion charm, earnest songs, and a warm glow that feels stitched into childhood itself. The other… shows up fashionably late, politely insists it’s a classic, and somehow leaves the room a little colder than expected. This week, we revisit Santa Claus Is Coming to Town and Holiday Affair, talking nostalgia, holiday expectations, and the...

"Send us a Text!" It’s our 100th episode of Season 5, and we mark the moment by diving into three stories that couldn’t be more different but somehow belong together. We revisit the gentle holiday heart of Prancer, soar through the timeless wonder of Mary Poppins, and then head straight into Hawkins for the emotional, high-stakes series finale of Stranger Things. Joining the fun for this...

"Send us a Text!" Let the confetti cannons of cinema explode  because The Couch Critics are ringing in the New Year with a full-on Year in Review extravaganza! This special episode gathers the whole cinematic brigade around the metaphorical couch: Lexie brings the honest brain-and-heart takes, Taj arrives with bold opinions and glorious chaos energy, Thomas rolls in with thoughtful insig...

"Send us a Text!" Avatar: Fire & Ash has arrived and we’ve marched straight through the smoke to bring you the sparks, the scorch marks, and the surprises. In this episode, we break down the story, the visuals, the world-building, and whether the emotional heat truly matches the spectacle. Did it rise like a phoenix… or crumble into cinders? We’ll talk: What the film absolutely nails...

"Send us a Text!" This week on The Couch Critic, we twirl into Nutcracker: The Motion Picture and drift through the wistful winter world of One Magic Christmas… and let’s just say, not every holiday gift under the tree is a winner. We talk beautiful ideas, strange choices, emotional swings, missed magic, and why both films might look better wrapped in nostalgia than they actually feel on...

"Send us a Text!" It’s a double dose of holiday spirit on this episode of The Couch Critic! We’re diving into the heartfelt family whirlwind of Nothing Like the Holidays, where Christmas dinner comes with laughter, love, secrets, and just a little emotional turbulence. Then we unwrap The Man Who Invented Christmas, a spirited peek behind the creation of A Christmas Carol and how one writ...

"Send us a Text!" Like a snow globe someone can’t stop shaking, this episode is pure holiday delight! We’re diving into the warm-hearted chaos of Nativity! with its school-play magic, big feelings, and glitter bombs of joy… then marching straight to the North Pole to revisit the childhood classic Frosty the Snowman, where nostalgia melts in the best possible way. We talk laughs, heart, m...