Thumb War

The Upside Down closes for good — and it gets weird on the way out. On this episode of Thumb War , Jason and Rachel review Stranger Things Episodes 5–8, aka the series finale . We dig into what works, what absolutely doesn’t, and why a finale that’s often frustrating still manages to land emotionally. From baffling monster choices and zero-stakes action to genuinely touching character farewells, t...

This week on Thumb War , we take on Christy (2025), the true-story boxing biopic chronicling the rise — and near-destruction — of trailblazing fighter Christy Martin. Sydney Sweeney delivers a ferocious performance in a film that doesn’t flinch from the realities of domestic abuse, control, and isolation, while still honouring Christy’s resilience and legacy. A tough watch. A necessary one. Big th...

Today we finally get around to tackling Bugonia (2025), Yorgos Lanthimos’ strange, funny, disturbing sci-fi thriller about conspiracy thinking, corporate power, and what happens when the paranoia might actually be right. Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons deliver two of the best performances of the year in a movie that demands to be seen before it’s discussed. Go in blind. Then come back and argue with...

We’re revisiting Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) — the Star Wars movie everyone shrugged at… and maybe shouldn’t have. JD, Rachel and Jeshua break down why Ron Howard’s takeover actually works, why Alden Ehrenreich nails a younger Han Solo, and why Donald Glover’s Lando deserves his own cinematic future. From pure fan service to sharp dialogue and surprisingly great casting, Solo feels better now t...

We start with a sad goodbye to Cosmo — a very good, very food-motivated boy — and somehow end up talking about frat houses at sunrise, parental panic spirals, and why Quentin Tarantino absolutely deserves to catch a few strays. Along the way: Saying goodbye to a beloved dog (and why doing it at home mattered) Why tracking apps are a gateway to full-blown anxiety Actors we know are “good” but still...

The finale of It: Welcome to Derry is here, and JD and Rachel have… thoughts. In this Thumb War episode, we recap and react to Episode 8 — a finale stuffed with Pennywise theatrics, confusing lore, magic solutions, timeline gymnastics, and zero interest in explaining itself. We debate what works, what absolutely doesn’t, and why filming this in Canada without Pennywise on skates should be a crimin...

This week on Thumb War , we revisit Bad Santa (2003) — Terry Zwigoff’s filthy, funny, and surprisingly tender Christmas classic. Jason & Rachel dig into the Director’s Cut vs the Theatrical version , studio interference, and why Billy Bob Thornton’s Willie T. Soke somehow becomes one of the strangest “found family” characters in holiday movie history. Along the way, we celebrate: Bernie Mac & John...

This week on Thumb War , we’re deep into Stranger Things Season 5 , breaking down Episodes 3 and 4 — The Turnbow Trap and The Sorcerer . We talk Frank Darabont’s direction, the Upside Down’s increasingly flexible rules, Hopper going full action hero, and whether the show’s massive cast is finally working against itself. Plus: Karen Wheeler MVP discourse, Joyce complaints, Erica chaos, and a few ex...

Episode 7 Had Us Yelling at the TV | Welcome to Derry Review In this episode of Thumb War , we review Welcome to Derry Episode 7 (2025) — an hour of television that somehow delivers peak Pennywise and peak frustration at the same time. We talk: Why the Pennywise stage performance works so well Andy Muschietti’s blink-and-you’ll-miss-it organ-grinder cameo The Black Spot fire, emotional shortcuts,...

Episode 6 of Welcome to Derry finally feels like the show hitting full stride. On this episode of Thumb War , we break down the darkest chapter yet — from Pennywise’s unsettling origin story to Ingrid’s role in feeding the horror beneath Derry. Jason and Rachel debate the black-and-white flashbacks, the show’s obsession with daddy issues, and whether this episode recontextualizes everything we’ve...

JD and Rachel return to the Upside Down to recap Stranger Things Season 5, Episodes 1 & 2 — and yes, we’re spoiling everything. We talk Will’s nightmare opening, the “is that CGI or a PS5 cutscene?” debate, the Dustin/Lucas/Steve dynamics, Robin’s Pretty in Pink broadcast, Jonathan vs. Steve (again), the baffling obstacle course sequence, Holly’s shocking growth spurt, Joyce catching heat, Murray...

JD & Rachel fire up the hyperdrive for a deep-dive review of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith — joined by special guest Jeshua Kidd , Jedi Master and all-around Star Wars encyclopedia. We break down the fall of Anakin Skywalker, the tragedy of Order 66, why Ewan McGregor is acting circles around everyone, and how the film has aged two decades later. Plus: favorite moments, tiny details w...

Welcome to Derry Episode 5 finally gives us what everyone’s been begging for: Pennywise. In the sewer. In full nightmare mode. In this Thumb War recap, we break down everything from the genuinely awesome parts — Bill Skarsgård’s terrifying Pennywise reveal, the triple-decker teeth, the contortions, the hallucinatory sewer sequences — to the parts that made us feel like we were taking crazy pills....

Welcome to our Patreon-only T-Giving episode , where the vibes are loose, the thumbs are down, and the opinions are turgid (yes, we go there). In this clip, we bounce between: Jason’s birthday Korean BBQ adventure The Room, Species, Wicked, and other cinematic crimes Classic P-Hounds-only chaos you won’t see on the main feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for informa...

Thumb War is back and slightly annoyed for a new Welcome to Derry Episode 4 Review! We’re forced to ask a serious question: Is this the worst episode yet? The Stephen King Universe lore is being dumped like it's an end-of-season yard sale, and frankly, we're tired of them explaining everything. On this episode of Thumb War, Jason, Rachel, and special guest Jeshua Kidd wade through the Derry, Maine...

Predator Badlands should’ve been the ninth-installment cash-grab we all politely ignore… but somehow Dan Trachtenberg cooked. In this week’s Thumb War , Rachel and Jason dive into the surprisingly emotional new Predator movie that mixes Klingon-like family drama , Alien-universe corporate stupidity , exploding caterpillars , razor grass , and the most adorable digital murder-gremlin since Grogu ....

Spoilers for Welcome to Derry Episode 3! Thumb War returns to Derry, Maine, where the sewers are wet, the ghost children look like Spirit Halloween interns , and the cemetery scene feels one jump scare away from a discount haunted house behind a Home Depot . After two strong episodes, Episode 3 might be our first real stumble of the season. We break down: Did the show blow its horror budget in Epi...

Join our Patreon to listen to the entire episode, AD FREE: http://bit.ly/44Mo8xU This week on Thumb War we dive headfirst into “Shame” , the Steve McQueen film that proves even the hottest people alive can be absolutely miserable. We unpack Michael Fassbender’s Olympic-level libido, Carey Mulligan’s emotional demolition derby performance, the subway eye-sex, the hotel disaster, the threesome-from-...

We’re recapping Episodes 1 & 2 of Welcome To Derry , a show that proves Stephen King will never run out of nightmare fuel. In this episode, Jason and Rachel break down the pacifier trauma, the demon-baby joyride, the womb-from-hell sequence, the pickle-factory disaster, the theater bloodbath, and the government bros who genuinely think they can team-up with Pennywise like he’s the sixth Avenger. T...

Welcome to the Thumb War Patreon lounge — where the mics are hot, the Eight Ball’s filthy, and no one’s editing out the weird stuff. JD and Rachel dive into the doomed Soderbergh-Driver Star Wars script, questionable grooming updates, deer encounters, thrift-store T-shirt giveaways, and a heartfelt thank-you to the listeners literally keeping the lights on. If you’re hearing this in the free feed,...

This week on Thumb War , Jason and Rachel ring up The Black Phone 2 (2025) — a sequel that swaps its creepy basement for a haunted dreamscape — and then revisit An American Werewolf in London (1981) , one of the funniest, horniest, and most existential horror movies ever made. Featuring: – Dream demons vs real terror – Rick Baker’s makeup magic & Oscar-winning gore – Why Landis changed horror fore...

Jason and Rachel are joined by resident Jedi Jeshua Kidd to tackle Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones . From Obi-Wan’s noir detective subplot on Kamino to Anakin and Padmé’s galaxy-wide red-flag romance, we break down the highs, lows, and sand-covered cringe of George Lucas’s most ambitious prequel. Topics include: the infamous “I don’t like sand” scene, Yoda’s lightsaber duel, Ewan McGr...

This week on Thumb War , Jason and Rachel (with special guest Dan Dan The Pie Man!) check in to the worst Airbnb in cinematic history: Barbarian (2022). We’re talking Bill Skarsgård’s creep factor, Justin Long’s slimeball turn, the unforgettable “Mother,” and why this film makes you scream “Don’t go in the basement!” Is Barbarian a horror masterpiece or a divisive mess? We break down the scares, t...

It took two decades, but the rage virus is back. Jason and Rachel review 28 Years Later (2025), the shocking sequel from Danny Boyle and Alex Garland — now available on digital . We unpack the performances (Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ralph Fiennes as Dr. Kelson, Alfie Williams), the bold genre twists, and whether the film lives up to the 28 Days Later legacy. From the chilling Rudyard Kipl...

Jason & Rachel wrestle with The Smashing Machine — Benny Safdie’s bruising MMA drama starring Dwayne Johnson & Emily Blunt. Is it The Rock’s best performance? Why did it flop at the box office? And could it still earn him Oscar buzz? Also: J.Lo’s new musical Kiss of the Spider Woman , Stephen King’s Welcome to Derry , Ryan Murphy’s Monster: The Ed Gein Story , and a joyful rewatch of The Naked Gun...