Sparrow's Under Review

Project Hail Mary

JR flies solo to review Project Hail Mary (2026), the sci-fi film directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, based on Andy Weir's novel. Starring Ryan Gosling, Sandra Bullock, James Ortiz, and Lionel Boyce, the film became the third highest-grossing movie of 2026 at $668 million worldwide on a ~$200M budget. JR breaks down the plot, the surprising alien friendship at the heart of the story, and why it's one of the best films he's seen in years. Timestamped Show Notes: * 0:00 — Cold open: Teasing the film and its directors * 0:20 — Show intro by King Jerm / Pod Saved Our Marriage * 0:48 — JR introduces the solo episode and Project Hail Mary * 1:21 — Box office & production overview: budget, cast, streaming release * 1:49 — Plot breakdown: Ryan Gosling as Raylan Grace, waking up alone in space * 2:16 — Introduction of Rocky, the alien companion * 3:11 — The one-way mission to save Earth; Grace and Rocky's shared goal * 3:58 — Cultural exchange between Grace and Rocky; the planetarium scene * 4:37 — Emotional depth: the alien develops human-like emotion and sacrifice * 5:09 — The feel-good quality that sets this film apart * 5:44 — JR's recommendation: open your senses and immerse yourself * 6:12 — Who can relate to Raylan Grace (teachers, loners, drifters) * 6:33 — Disclaimer: requires a good attention span; one of the best films of 2026 * 7:05 — JR's 2026 movie streak; looking ahead to the next review * 7:30 — Thanks to listeners; show charts milestone (Apple Film Review Top 200, 128+ days) * 7:56 — Outro: Connect on Threads, feedback welcome, sign-off

Rotten Tomatoes Said 83%, the Box Office Said Nah : The Good Luck , Have Fun, Don't die Movie Review

Overview: Stacey and JR review the sci-fi comedy Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die, comparing it to their previous review of Wuthering Heights. They break down the film's budget, box office performance, critical reception, and share their spoiler-free takes. Key Topics: * Box Office vs. Budget: $20M budget, only ~$8–9M worldwide box office * Critical Reception: 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, 67/100 on Metacritic, B from CinemaScore * Comparison to Wuthering Heights: Despite a much smaller box office, Good Luck scored significantly higher with critics than Wuthering Heights (57% RT, $221M box office on an $80M budget) * Genre: Sci-fi comedy with elements of horror, action, and drama — compared to Scary Movie vibes and the indie feel of Everything Everywhere All at Once * Spoiler-Free Impressions: JR calls it a future cult classic; Stacey says it kept her engaged and giggling. Both recommend it. * Viewing Tips: Pay close attention to the opening 5 minutes and all diner scenes. "Don't worry about a damn piece of pie." * Double Feature Weekend: Watched back-to-back with Wuthering Heights on Friday the 13th weekend — both left them wanting more. Call to Action: Watch both Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die and Wuthering Heights, then comment which one you preferred.

Hoppers 2026 Pixar Review: Plot Twists, Box Office Numbers & Bold Opinions | Sparrows Under Review

Hosts: JR Sparrow & Stacey Sparrow Guest Intro: King Jerm (Poddin' Saved Our Marriage) This Week's Review: Hoppers (Disney/Pixar, 2026) This week JR Sparrow flies solo to review Pixar's latest animated feature, Hoppers — currently the 4th highest-grossing film of 2026with a $375 million box office haul on a $150 million budget. What's it about? Hoppers follows Mabel Tanaka, a young girl raised near a forest by her grandmother, who becomes deeply connected to nature and wildlife. When Mabel is transformed into a beaver, she finds herself navigating a world of animal kingdoms — insects, amphibians, fish, reptiles, and birds — each with their own rulers, agendas, and comedy. The film tackles themes of government, environmental activism, neglect, and loss, wrapped in stunning Pixar animation. Director: Daniel Chung End Credits Song: Save the Day by Scissor Critical Reception: * Rotten Tomatoes: 94% * Metacritic: 73/100 (based on 46 critics) * CinemaScore: A * RogerEbert.com (Neil Minow): ★★★★ — "Pixar at its very best" JR's Take: A well-crafted, thoughtful film that demands your full attention from the start. The plot twists are earned, the ensemble voice cast is stellar, and the writing subverts villain expectations in a refreshing way. Best suited for teens and adults, though younger kids will enjoy the humor and colorful animal characters. Features a standout performance from Meryl Streep. 2026 Box Office Rankings (as of April 28): 1. Super Mario Galaxy 2. Pegasus 3 3. Project Hail Mary 4. Hoppers 5. Weathering Heights Find us on Threads — drop your takes, requests, and what movies you want covered next! Sparrows Under Review — every take is examined, nothing escapes the spotlight. Follow Poddin' Saved Our Marriage with King Jerm — new episodes every Friday

The CoHo Movie Universe: A Deep Dive into Colleen Hoover's Film Adaptations

JR Sparrow flies solo this week to break down the growing cinematic universe built around bestselling author Colleen Hoover — aka the "CoHo Movie Universe." With over 26 books and a built-in audience supercharged by BookTok, Hoover's work has attracted major Hollywood studios including Sony, Paramount, Universal, and Amazon MGM. In this episode: * How TikTok's BookTok community turned Colleen Hoover into a publishing phenomenon — and made her irresistible to Hollywood * A rundown of the four CoHo films: It Ends With Us, Regretting You, Reminders of Him, and the upcoming Verity * Box office breakdown: It Ends With Us ($35M), Regretting You ($90M), Reminders of Him ($88M on a $25M budget) * Why critics gave Reminders of Him mixed reviews — and why JR disagrees * JR's personal ranking of the CoHo films and why Reminders of Him might be the best entry point for new viewers * What Colleen Hoover's hands-on involvement means for the franchise's future JR's Take: Reminders of Him tells a grounded, realistic story about redemption, community, and second chances — themes that resonate far beyond the romance genre. Don't let the critic scores fool you. Subscribe & Listen: 🎙️ Search Sparrows UnderReview Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. New episodes dropping regularly — don't miss Stacey's return next week.

Send Help – No Seriously, We Need It

Stacey and Jr. Sparrow sit down with King Jerm to review a 2026 thriller directed by Sam Raimi, starring Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien. Jr. calls it his top film of the first quarter of 2026 — a suspenseful, twist-filled ride that kept him on the edge of his seat. Stacey came in for Rachel McAdams and left with a lot to say about the film's morally complex lead character. What We Cover: * First impressions and why this film was on Jr.'s radar early * Sam Raimi's filmography and how this film compares to his usual style (think Evil Dead, Drag Me to Hell, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness) * Stacey's "you go, girl" reaction to the main character's big reveal * The moment Stacey says the character went too far — and what she would have done differently * The subtle clues you might miss on a first watch (and why Jr. wants to rewatch it) * Comparisons to M. Night Shyamalan's Old and other suspense films from recent years By the Numbers: * Budget: $40 million * Box Office: $90.4 million * Rotten Tomatoes: 93% positive * Metacritic: 75/100 * CinemaScore: B+ The Verdict: A well-earned B+ in the hosts' book — with Jr. ready to rewatch for hidden clues and Stacey impressed by the lead's calculated, survivor-mentality performance.