Podcast Episode

Smile 2 Review & Interview with Brande Roderick

Smile 2 Review & Interview with Brande Roderick

🄴 Horror Movie Talk

SynopsisThe smile virus/demon from Smile is back and is tormenting a young pop star named Skye Riley. Skye is a recovering addict attempting to relaunch her career with a world tour. While visiting her former dealer to score some pain killers for a back injury, she witnesses him commit suicide in front of her and infect her with some kind of ancient evil. Adding to the pressures of fame, rehearsals, and recovery; she is beset by hallucinations of people with creepy smiles out to get her.Review of Smile 2This smile demon concept is like the lovechild of The Evil Dead and It Follows, and frankly, I’m a fan. This film was artistically made, delved deep into themes of trauma and mental health in a unique and terrifying way. I couldn’t help but think of the public mental breakdowns of celebrities like Brittany Spears while watching this movie. It really gives perspective into the pressures of a job where hundreds of people are relying on you to perform. That and the inherent creepiness of parasocial relationships with fans that are obsessed with you. It made it hard to tell where the demon ended and where this pop star’s surreal reality began. I thought Naomi Scott was great to watch as Skye. She has very expressive eyes and portrayed the terror and helplessness of her situation very well. Parker Finn, the writer/director of this and the previous film is a talent to watch. I can’t wait to see what he comes up with outside of this franchise.Score 9/10

Water Cooler: Smile 2, The Brutalist, The Apprentice, Will & Harper, and More

Water Cooler: Smile 2, The Brutalist, The Apprentice, Will & Harper, and More

🄴 /Film Weekly

On the October 16, 2024 episode of /Film Daily, /Film editor Ben Pearson is joined by /Film editor and chief film critic Chris Evangelista to gather around the virtual water cooler and talk about what they’ve been watching.In the Water Cooler:- What we’ve been Watching:- Chris watched Smile 2, The Brutalist, Woman of the Hour, Terrifier 3, and rewatched Longlegs.- Ben watched The Apprentice, His Three Daughters, Will & Harper, and Deep Red.- What we’ve been Playing:- Ben has been playing Star Wars Outlaws on PS5.All the other stuff you need to know:- You can find more about all the stories we mentioned on today’s show at slashfilm.com, and linked inside the show notes.- /Film Daily is published every weekday, bringing you the most exciting news from the world of movies and TV as well as deeper dives into the great features from slashfilm.com.- You can subscribe to /Film Daily on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts.- Send your feedback, questions, comments, concerns, and mailbag topics to us at bpearson@slashfilm.com. Please leave your name and general geographic location in case we mention your e-mail on the air.- Don’t forget to take a moment to rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify - that helps us out a lot. And tell your friends about the show!- Thanks to Sam Hume for our logo.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy