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1. [TV Show] Disney+ - Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord

If you see this and think, “wait, I thought this guy was cut in half?”, then you’re not locked in.

And I need you locked in.

Refer to my post from January 6 (yikes) to get caught up on Clone Wars.

Maul is one of, if not the, best parts of Dave Filoni’s era of Star Wars. Maul is dynamic, scary, and conniving. Sam Witwer, the absolute legend, has made the character his own and brought him to life.

I am stoked that there is a new show centered on Maul after the events of Order 66. It’s great so far, the art is fantastic, and the cast is incredible (including last year’s Best Actor nominee Wagner Moura). New episodes come out on Mondays, and the show has already been renewed for a second season, so I’ll repeat:

I need you locked in.

2. [Podcast] The Town with Matt Belloni - Jon Favreau on the Future of Star Wars, AI, and New Filmmaking Technology

Jon Favreau has directed, written, and/or acted in some of my favorite movies and TV shows of all time. Funny enough, my introduction to him was probably his breakout role in Rudy. But most recently, I credit him with reviving Star Wars for me after the Rise of Skywalker left a “Somehow, Palpatine returned”-sized hole in my heart.

The Mandalorian TV show (at least the first two seasons), stoked the warm sense of adventure from the original movies, while also bringing new fans into the fold. Now, Favreau has the new burden of bringing Star Wars back to the big screen. The Mandalorian & Grogu is hitting theaters Memorial Day Weekend.

Favreau sat down with Matt Belloni at CinemaCon to discuss the challenges of switching gears from TV to film. Honestly, he has his work cut out for him, because most complaints I’ve heard is that it doesn’t look cinematic enough—it just looks like another episode of the show, stretched out over the length of a movie.

I still have high hopes for the movie, and I already booked my tickets (which were nearly sold out, I must add).

What I found most interesting about the interview is how eloquently Favreau talked about the use of technology in film. Sure, AI is the hot topic right now, but he said that the most impactful development in his creative process was the integration of video game workstreams in pre-production.

By using Unreal Engine to do a lot of previz work, Favreau can get more precise with what he wants to see in frame before even stepping on set. This cuts down on shooting days, therefore driving down costs, which allows him to hire the best union crews and film a lot in LA (a rarity these days).

3. [YouTube] SlapShotBricks - LEAKED Lego Star Wars May The 4th Sales List! (20% Off, 2X and 4X Insider Points!!)

May The 4th is like a holiday in my household. A lot of the excitement is due to the release of new Star Wars Lego sets, sales, and promotions.

This year, there is not much on my wishlist, but I will definitely make sure to snag some sets I’ve been holding out for in order to get the promotional gift-with-purchase: The Darksaber. You get this as a bonus for spending $160+ on qualifying sets.

Maybe this video will spark some inspiration, or maybe a set you’ve been waiting on is going on sale or getting extra Insider points.

The other GWPs are forgetful, but I am excited to add The Darksaber to my growing collection of lightsaber hilts that Lego has released over the years. If anyone wants to sell me their Yoda’s Lightsaber set, that’s the last one I am missing.

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1. [YouTube] The Media Insider - How to analyse a film: the complete beginners guide

This was a very straightforward primer on a bunch of film-related terms. He uses the movie Belfast to illustrate each of the five key elements of film:

• Cinematography

• Editing

• Mise en scène

• Performance

• Sound

2. [YouTube] H.I.T Golf - If I Was NEW To Golf, This Would Be My Golf Bag

Like all washed up baseball players, I am taking up golf.

I’ve tried to get into it in the past, but it’s never stuck. I’m very bad. But I’ve been golfing enough to where I think I am ready to upgrade my clubs.

I’m still rocking a set of Ping Zings from the 90’s. 🙈

3. [YouTube] Wine Folly - Getting Into Wine: A Beginner’s Crash Course

I appreciate a good glass of wine, but then again, any glass of wine is a good glass of wine to me.

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1. [Documentary] Focus Features - The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist

AI is not going anywhere. The toothpaste is out of the tube, or as one of the interviewees charmingly put it:

The shit is out of the horse. And the horse is going to keep shitting.

The AI race is scary—our generation’s version of the nuclear arms race. With the wrong incentives (either of the AI designers or the AI itself), AGI could conceivably lead to human extinction. On the flip side, the documentary also shows the potential benefits of AI: healthcare innovations and increased accessibility, climate change improvements, and education revolution.

While overly-sensational at times, I think this is a topic worth discussing, and I was impressed by the number of big names that were interviewed. This documentary will do absolute gangbusters when it eventually goes to streaming, so keep an eye out for it.

2. [YouTube] Lateral Hazard - How the Masters Really Works

It’s Masters Week!

Perfect time for this video. It’s amazing to see the unbelievable level of craftsmanship, civil engineering, and tradition that goes into making this one of the most beloved event in all of sports.

I had no idea how much goes on behind the scenes. It definitely made me appreciate the tournament more, and I can’t wait to watch it this year!

3. [YouTube] ESPN - National Championship: South Carolina Gamecocks vs. UCLA Bruins | Full Game Highlights

UCLA absolutely demolished South Carolina (the other USC) to claim their first championship since 1978. It was super exciting tracking this team over the last few years, and I am sad that so many of the starters are graduating.

Go Bruins!

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1. [Trailer] HBO Max - Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone | Official Teaser

It’s always tough rebooting something… especially when that thing is still so fresh in people’s memory.

I need to approach this show with an open mind, because it feels like I could easily fall into “Not My Harry Potter” territory.

I will say, I am excited for them to explore this series in a TV show format—the extra runtime will allow them to expand on plot lines not covered in the original movies.

2. [YouTube] ESPN - NBA EXPANSION IS HAPPENING

Seattleites, rejoice.

The Sonics are coming back.

All 30 owners voted in favor of expanding to at least two cities: Seattle and Las Vegas. Supposedly, both teams would join the West, which would mean re-zoning a couple teams. This move will likely take place in time for the 2028-2029 season.

Having lived in Seattle for a bit, it’s clear the city still loves the Sonics. You’re bound to run into a couple Shawn Kemp murals if you walk around enough. It’s a wonderful sports city, and it’s great to see their patience rewarded.

3. [YouTube] FRANCE 24 English - Lost remains of French musketeer d’Artagnan may have been found in Dutch church

Pretty cool.

4. [Bonus Deal] Chevron App - 25cents per Gallon Discount

If you’re one of the millions of people hurt by the gas crisis, maybe this can help a little bit. I’m a big fan of the Chevron app, but now seems like the best time to take advantage of the sign up offer: save a quarter per gallon on your next five trips.

I’m not sure if this is available everywhere, but worth a shot. Here’s a picture of a sign with the details and a QR code to join:

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1. [Podcast] The Big Picture - The Steven Spielberg Conversation

Spielberg was recently interviewed at the SXSW Conference/Festival in advance of his newest movie, Disclosure Day, coming out later this year. A few things stuck with me:

• Spielberg said he saw Fantasia too young and was left incredibly scared by the “Night on Bald Mountain” (honestly that’s so fair, what a terrifying sequence)

  • This was funny to me because I was always so scared of Spielberg’s E.T. growing up, because I felt I saw it too young (don’t worry I have since gotten over my fear)

• Spielberg also mentioned that he does a lot of prep work on big-budget movies that have a lot of VFX, but on other movies he might not plan at all beforehand

  • He claims he did not have one storyboard on either Schindler’s List or Saving Private Ryan!!!

• He also has a western movie in development, but he wouldn’t give away any details

2. [Podcast] House of R - ‘Project Hail Mary’ Deep Dive. Plus: Andy Weir!

At the start of the Spielberg podcast, Sean Fennessey called out how Project Hail Mary killed it’s opening weekend, to the tune of $140.9M. I saw PHM on Sunday—I really enjoyed it, but I was expecting a movie that was closer to The Martian than a buddy comedy. Although the stakes are high (the whole world rests on the shoulders of Ryan Gosling), the movie plays more for laughs. Gosling was perfect in this role, and I was really amazed by how they nailed the Rocky character.

After you check out the movie, I’d listen to this fun deep dive and interview with the author of the book, Andy Weir. He reminds me a lot of Vince Gilligan: nerdy in the best way and passionate about his work.

In a particular memorable part of the interview, Weir described why he is convinced our first contact with an alien species would be a positive, peaceful one. Listen to the end to hear his optimistic reasoning.

3. [YouTube] Variety - How ‘The Mandalorian’ Score Found The New ‘Star Wars’ Sound

I didn’t realize until now that Ludwig Göransson also composed the score for The Mandalorian. I would have never guessed that the key instrument in that legendary, Emmy-winning score is… a recorder.

Göransson is the hottest composer in the business right now, coming off his most recent Oscar for Sinners (his third!). It was a treat to peek into his creative process.

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1. [YouTube] Variety - ‘Sinners’ Oscar Winning Cinematographer Breaks Down Center Framing for IMAX

The Oscars was on Sunday night. Overall, I thought it was a pretty good show, but that could be highly colored by the fact that it ended up being a great year for movies. Regardless, it was a great excuse to get a bunch of friends together and drink a few small beers.

As you all know, I was rooting for Sinners to win big, but One Battle After Another took the night. At the end of the day, I was happy. PTA got his Oscar, Coogler was acknowledged for his original screenplay, and MBJ shocked everyone by beating out Timmy and Leo for Best Actor.

Among the biggest winners of the night was Sinners’ cinematographer, Autumn Durald Arkapaw. She became the first woman to win the Oscar for Best Cinematographer. No one was more worthy than Arkapaw—I think Sinners transcended “just a genre movie” in part because it is so beautifully shot.

2. [Trailer] Warner Bros. Pictures International - Dune: Part Three | Official Teaser Trailer

Warner Bros stays winning… besides selling out to Zaddy Ellison.

One day after absolutely dominating at the Oscars with 11 awards (tying the record for a studio), they follow it up with the first trailer for the next Dune movie coming in December. It looks awesome.

3. [YouTube] sarlaccpitpodcast - Rare Star Wars 1977 Alec Guinness Interview on Parkinson Talk Show

I was pleased to stumble upon this fun, quick clip. For starters, I don’t think there are any more calming voices than Sir Alec Guinness. He’s also super charismatic in the interview, telling jokes and anecdotes that showed a different side of him than I am accustomed to.

Two things of note:

• He was initially interested in Star Wars because of George Lucas’ reputation as a promising up-and-comer

• He thought the dialogue was particularly “ropey,” which I just learned is British slang for poor quality

Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone!

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This will be a quick one. Three great movie recs, all of varying lengths.

1. [Movie] Neon - Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie

Laugh out loud funny. Who says comedy movies are dead!

The Canadian film won the People’s Choice Awards at TIFF and has doubled its budget at the box office so far.

If you love the movie like I did, you might want to check out this interesting interview with the director and star:

2. [Movies] Ryan Coogler - Locks

I finally got around to watching Ryan Coogler’s first short film. He’s without a doubt my favorite director today.

Rooting for Sinners to win in a couple weeks.

3. [Movie] George Lucas - Look at Life

Another GOAT.

I’m making my way through the audiobook on Francis Ford Coppola (free with a library card on Libby!), and I heard of the story of Lucas’ first student film that put him on the map at USC.

Turns out, the one-minute assignment is on YouTube!

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This week is a little different.

I realized that there were through-lines between stuff I watched this week, so I figured I would just share it all with you.

This is still Tom’s Top 3, but there are three ~themes~ this week, with two things per theme.

Make sense? Probably not. But it will become clear what I mean as you read.

1A. [Movie] Warner Bros. - Waiting for Guffman

I don’t know how it’s possible that I have never seen this movie until now. It is truly right up my alley, and I practically laughed all of the way through.

The cast is incredible. Look at these names. Christopher Guest. Eugene Levy. Fred Willard. Parker Posey. Bob Balaban.

Smaller, yet still amazing, performances by Lewis Arquette, Larry Miller, Michael Hitchcock, and David Cross.

And of course… the wonderful Catherine O’Hara.

It was especially sad watching this movie after two recent headlines: the passing of O’Hara and the sale of Warner Bros.

I think Waiting for Guffman just recently landed on Netflix, so it’s easy to check out if you want a quick, feel-good comedy.

1B. [YouTube] Netflix - Seth Rogen gives a tribute to Catherine O’Hara after she wins for Best Actress in a Comedy Series

There were a few memorable moments from the Actor Awards on Sunday. None more memorable than this heartfelt speech from Seth Rogen, who accepted the award on behalf of Catherine O’Hara for her role in The Studio.

2A. [TV Show] Disney+ - Jeopardy!: The Greatest of All Time

I adored watching Jeopardy! as a family every night. It was something my sister and I could always agree on, and Alex Trebek was truly a fixture in my childhood because of it.

My fiancé was recently bit by the Jeopardy! bug, so we have been speeding through all of the old episodes on Disney+. Once she became familiar with the show’s history and greatest players, it was especially rewarding to watch the GOAT Tournament, with Ken Jennings (longest streak), Brad Rutter (most money won), and James Holzhauer (most records) going head-to-head.

Maybe you will catch the bug too.

2B. [Podcast] People I (Mostly) Admire - Ken Jennings: “Don’t Neglect the Thing That Makes You Weird”

It just so happened that this podcast episode was recently re-aired last week, right when we have been on this Jeopardy! kick.

It’s a very interesting interview—there’s no doubt Ken Jennings is smart—but I was most surprising part was Ken’s advice for raising children:

“You realize really what you have to do is just let them be themselves and incorporate that into the culture of the family so that nobody feels like the outsider.”

3A. [YouTube] Prime Video AU & NZ - Official Trailer | Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat

I need to know if they can pull it off a second time!

Jury Duty was such an unexpected treasure, and I am so excited that they are running it back with a slightly different approach.

Coming to Prime Video on March 20.

3B. [YouTube] Variety - How the ‘Jury Duty’ Crew Pulled Off Filming at Margaritaville

You know I love behind-the-scenes features, and this is one of my favorite scenes from Jury Duty. I honestly can’t believe that they were able to balance this high-wire act for a full season. James Marsden summed it up when he said that the most difficult aspect was having to be locked-in and acting for hours at a time.

They reveal all of the intense planning and secret tricks that made it possible to weave a narrative throughout a scene/episode/season. It’s chaotic and stressful and amazing and I love it.

If you made it to this point, drop a comment to say hi. And as always, please like and consider sharing with a friend who you think would enjoy! I’ll be back next week. ✌️

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1. [TV Show] HBO - A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

Whether you are a Game of Thrones fan or not, there is something in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms for everyone. It’s a beautiful, well-paced adventure centered on a “hedge knight” looking for something more, set 100 years before the plot of GoT.

Each episode is around 30 minutes, making it an enjoyable binge if you are looking for something to watch. While certainly reminding me of what I love about GoT, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms brings a fresh amount of levity and feel-good brotherhood that is lacking in the flagship shows.

It has reignited my love of Westeros, and now I can’t wait for the next season of House of the Dragon coming this summer.

2. [Movie] Lionsgate - Fruitvale Station

I finally got around to watching Fruitvale Station last week. This movie tells the heartbreaking story of the 2009 murder of 22-year-old Oscar Grant (played by Michael B. Jordan) by a BART police officer in Oakland. This movie put Ryan Coogler on the map, winning the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival.

I was fortunate to see this on the big screen for my first time. The shared experience in the audience heightened the devastating impact of the film, leaving many in tears. If you have the chance to see it theaters, you should. Many theaters are re-airing the movie to highlight Black stories during Black History Month.

3. [2-Part Podcast Series] The Town - Sony Film CEO on Losing ‘Sinners’ and the Endless Big Tech Battle and Part 2: Sony Film CEO on Marvel’s Decline and Hollywood’s Originality Crisis

I think Tom Rothman is one of the most interesting and entertaining film executives in the business. He’s very funny, and he showed he can command a room in this interview with The Town’s Matt Belloni and Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw.

This interview was really more of a call to action: “Make Dope Shit.”

Rothman explained that the film industry is in a crisis of unoriginality. Studios need to lean into scarcity as an asset (for characters, actors, or franchises), drive cultural urgency, and promote robust windows (where movies stay off streamers for 45 days). He described how Sony’s data shows box office success is driven by longer theatrical windows and their streaming success is driven by the benefits of theatrical marketing.

If you made it to this point, drop a comment to say hi. And as always, please like and consider sharing with a friend who you think would enjoy! I’ll be back next week. ✌️

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1. [Blog] Upgraded Points - Chase Sapphire Cardholders Get a Valuable New Wellness Offer From WHOOP

Chase seems to be playing catch-up with American Express, emulating many aspects of their premium credit cards. For example, the recent revamp and steep price hike of the Sapphire Reserve card allows Chase to better compete with the Amex Platinum.

Now, we have a few new updates to the Sapphire lineup. For a limited time, cardholders of the Sapphire Reserve and Sapphire Preferred can activate offers for a number of wellness products. These include:

• Calm Meditation App

  • Reserve: 100% cash back on 1-year premium membership

  • Preferred: 50% back

• Prenuvo Whole-Body MRI Scan

  • Reserve: $500 statement credit on $2,499+ purchase

• Function Health Lab Testing

  • Reserve: 50% back after spending $365+

  • Preferred: 15% back

• WHOOP Fitness Tracker

  • Reserve: $359 back on WHOOP Life annual membership ($359 cost)

  • Preferred: $100 back on any WHOOP membership

These credits, especially the WHOOP offer, seem directly in response to the $200 Oura Ring credit that was added to the Amex Platinum. I have been intrigued by WHOOP for a while, but the the subscription model has always held me back. If you have the Sapphire Reserve card, there is no harm in getting the WHOOP Life membership to try it out for free for a year.

Just make sure to activate these WHOOP offers in the Chase Offers section of the website or app and use them by May 12. The Calm, Prenuvo, and Function offers expire even earlier, on March 31.

2. [YouTube] Mike Hanna - Living with a Whoop 5.0: It Changed My Life

If you are at all interested in the WHOOP membership, whether you have a Chase Sapphire card or not, I think this review is a must-watch to get apprised of the main features and user experience associated with the three different WHOOP membership tiers: One, Peak, and Life.

At a high level, WHOOP has the following benefits:

• Sleep tracking

• Recovery scores

• Strain/Exercise tracking

• Biological Age estimator

• Intuitive and actionable app interface

Mike makes two major recommendations. He suggests going with the Peak membership ($239 per year) and wearing the strap around your bicep (best data capture and least disruptive).

3. [YouTube] Star Wars - The Mandalorian and Grogu | Official Trailer | In Theaters May 22

Last week, I hated on the Super Bowl ad for The Mandalorian and Grogu. It was confusing, and it left fans feeling like Disney didn’t believe in the film.

Well, I am excited to say that they successfully pulled me back in with today’s release of the new and expanded trailer. This trailer gives me a new hope for the movie (pun most certainly intended).

I was maybe most excited by seeing the live-action appearance of the bounty hunter Embo. For a full breakdown of the trailer and all of the Easter Eggs, feel free to check out this video by Star Wars Explained.

If you made it to this point, drop a comment to say hi. And as always, please like and consider sharing with a friend who you think would enjoy! I’ll be back next week. ✌️

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1. [YouTube] CORD CUTTING & SPORTS - All SUPER BOWL 60 Commercials 2026

This year’s Super Bowl was quite the snooze fest. To me, the highlight wasn’t the game or the halftime show, it was the ads. My one note: wayyy too much de-aging.

This video is certainly a lot to wade through, so here are some of my favorites in case you want to skip around:

• Instacart at 12:36

• Liquid Death at 18:04

• Levi’s (my personal favorite) at 25:32

• Turbotax at 31:13

• Dunkin at 33:44

• Xfinity at 54:29

2. [YouTube] The Critical Drinker - The Mandalorian And Grogu - Does Disney Actually Hate This Movie?

One ad I did not really care for was the “Big Game Spot” for The Mandalorian and Grogu. Though not my fave (I definitely would have preferred a more traditional hype trailer than whatever this was), I certainly did not hate it as much as The Critical Drinker.

He airs the grievances that many Star Wars fans have with this era of the franchise and the rollout of this movie. To sum it up:

3. [YouTube] Doug DeMuro - 2026 Rivian R2 First Review: Affordable, Practical, Awesome!

I was incredibly excited to learn that Rivian is launching a new, smaller version of its popular electric SUV. The R2 is also going to be considerably cheaper, with a starting price of $45K vs the $77K price tag of its older brother, the R1S.

Doug does a great job hyping up the car, discussing all of the technical and aesthetic features. Some of my favorite aspects are actually the add-on products, including a mattress, rooftop tent, and projector screen.

The only bummer is that Doug guessed that the car in the video is likely a special version of the R2, meaning the base $45K version will not have the same bells and whistles. Either way, it’s encouraging to see Rivian expanding their lineup and bringing down the price point.

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1. [TV Show] Marvel Entertainment - Wonder Man

Marvel didn’t do much to quell the “super hero content is dead” allegations in 2025. Instead, the year was full of forgetful projects. Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and Ironheart all failed to revive the Marvel machine.

Despite Marvel seemingly sweeping Wonder Man under the rug, the show has quietly impressed.

I loved the show, and it was a refreshing departure from the overly-plotted web weaving that has led to the Marvel fatigue since Endgame. Yes, one of the main characters has showed up in many Marvel movies, but it’s Ben Kingsley! He and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II work perfectly off each other, and it’s this dynamic that makes the show work, not super powers.

This is the first Marvel show in a while where I have happily clicked “Next Episode,” rather than begrudgingly letting the timer roll me into the next episode out of a sense of completist obligation.

Hopefully you enjoy it too.

2. [Podcast] The Town with Matthew Belloni - What Disney’s CEO Choice Reveals About Its Next Chapter

The game of thrones at the House of Mouse is finally over, for now. Bob Iger is stepping down in mid-March, with Josh D’Amaro beating out Dana Walden for the CEO spot at Disney. Walden was promoted to president and Chief Creative Officer. D’Amaro, head of Disney Experiences, is now the second parks guy to succeed Bob Iger (it did not go well the first time).

In this podcast, Matt Belloni and Rich Greenfield believe the decision foreshadows Disney’s strategy: doubling down on parks and experiences. If this were only a few years ago during the streaming boom, Walden would have likely been the top choice, but the money is in the parks these days.

Greenfield believes that D’Amaro should take a route similar to WBD, splitting up the company in two. Doing so would isolate the growth businesses from the dying linear business. D’Amaro could also invest further in gaming.

For now, time will tell if D’Amaro will try to make a splash when he takes the keys from Iger in March.

3. [Podcast] The Watch - Vince Gilligan and Rhea Seehorn on the ‘Pluribus’ Season 1 Finale

It was a slow burn, but I finally made it through all 9 episodes of Pluribus’ first season.

It. Is. Well. Worth. It.

The show is awesome, Vince Gilligan has done it again, and Rhea Seehorn is the star she always was. In fact, Seehorn just won the Best Drama TV Actress award at the Golden Globes for her gripping performance.

Again, I just love any interview with Gilligan. He really seems like a mensch’s mensch.

The biggest surprise from the interview is that Gilligan confirmed that he and the writers of Breaking Bad did not have a plan for how they were going to “pay off” the pink teddy bear in Season 2 or the M60 machine gun in Walter White’s car in Season 5. They introduced those two objects in season premieres, not knowing how they were going to make it work in the story. Gilligan called this an act of hubris, saying he regretted the decision.

I think I speak for all Breaking Bad fans when I say thank you to Vince Gilligan for having a bit of hubris.

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1. [Podcast] Proximity Media - Michael B. Jordan and Ryan Coogler: The Official SINNERS Interview!

Sinners, my favorite movie of the year, broke the record for most Academy Awards nominations, with 16. Those nominations include Best Actor and Best Director nods for this podcast’s two guests: Michael B. Jordan and Ryan Coogler.

This dynamic duo talk through their relationship, creative process, and—believe it or not—coffee. I was overjoyed to learn that Coogler is a big coffee aficionado, and I found it endearing that he makes lattes for his crew as an act of service on set.

I was most impressed by the lengths that the two went to make sure Sinners was authentic. In order to convincingly play twins, MBJ kept a diary of both of the characters to understand their mental states, wore different sized shoes to physically cue how fast each character should move, and consistently filmed one character’s parts earlier in the day so that his energy levels matched each character’s personality.

2. [YouTube] ponysmasher - The Problem Solving of Filmmaking (Part 1 and Part 2)

I also listened to a different podcast with a different Proximity Media all-star, Sinners producer Sev Ohanian. During that interview, Ohanian recommended the YouTube account “ponysmasher.”

With a bizarre name like that, my interest was piqued.

The creator behind ponysmasher is actually David F. Sandberg, a prolific horror director who also shepherded the Shazam! franchise. In these two videos, Sandberg uses his experience on Shazam! to illustrate how directors have to remain flexible and find creative ways to solve problems.

I love videos like these that pull back the curtain on the filmmaking process, and I appreciate how candid and aboveboard Sandberg is.

3. [YouTube] Frequent Miler - Bilt Cash: Couponization to the Max

Last week, I wrote about the release of the new Bilt 2.0 cards. Since then, Bilt has announced the many, many uses for Bilt Cash, their monopoly money. The press release itself is longer than a CVS receipt.

Unfortunately, my hope of saving up Bilt Cash to ball out on some free hotel stays were dashed… kind of.

Turns out, there is a limit on the amount you can use in one go. Oh well.

On the bright side, one new use-case emerged that is actually pretty good. You can use $200 of Bilt Cash to unlock a “Point Accelerator” for $5,000 of spend. So if you have the Bilt Palladium card, you can earn 3x back on everything. You can do this a total of five times throughout a year, so I plan on maxing out this benefit for a total of 25,000 additional Bilt points.

It might not be the most lucrative use of Bilt Cash, but it seems more straightforward and easier to use than the other options.

If you made it to this point, drop a comment to say hi. And as always, please like and consider sharing with a friend who you think would enjoy! I’ll be back next week. ✌️

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1. [Movie] Netflix - The Rip

By no means a perfect movie, but man do I love watching the Boston boys do their thing. This movie is right in their wheelhouse. It’s exciting and stressful, with a little bit of mystery.

They say this film is inspired by true events—I need to know how liberally they use the word “inspired.” It feels like the kind of thing that could only happen in a movie.

With it being rather slow at the theaters right now (the only thing I’m really excited to see is the new 28 Years Later movie), it was nice to have a solid January flick to toss on at home.

2. [App] Hevy

One of my New Year’s Resolutions is to get back into tracking my workouts. I’ve done hand-written journals, and I’ve done spreadsheets, but I haven’t found an app that makes it easy to log my lifts and track my progress... until I tried Hevy (not an ad!).

Hevy has a very intuitive and easy-to-use interface, where I can quickly track my exercises, weights, and reps. Best part is, it’s free!

Supposedly the paid version gets you additional functionality, like making template workouts and who knows what else. Honestly, I didn’t really look into it. I wanted something that is customizable, easy, and free. Hevy has delivered.

3. [YouTube] Anthony Venture - The BILT 2.0 Palladium Card Is Way BETTER Than You Think

The biggest news in the credit card landscape this week was undoubtedly the reveal of the new Bilt 2.0 lineup. The changes were polarizing, sparking outrage amongst the community who used the Bilt 1.0 as an easy way to get transferrable miles on their rent purchases. Problem was, Bilt 1.0 was not sustainable, causing Wells Fargo to lose over $10M a month.

The issue with the rollout wasn’t necessarily the cards, but rather the new convoluted way that Bilt members can earn points on their rent or mortgage. I won’t go into all of that today, but if you want a full breakdown of the Bilt program, please comment down below and maybe I will post a deeper dive.

What I want to share is a brief overview of the new cards and my plan for taking advantage of the program to maximize my Atmos experience.

Here are the high-level breakdown of the three cards:

• Blue Card

  • Annual Fee: $0

  • Sign-up Bonus:

    • $100 Bilt Cash (more on this later)

  • Earning Structure:

    • Rent/Mortgage: 1-1.25x

    • Everything else: 1x

  • Bilt Cash: 4% back on every purchase

• Obsidian Card

  • Annual Fee: $95

  • Sign-up Bonus:

    • $200 Bilt Cash

  • Earning Categories:

    • Rent/Mortgage: 1-1.25x

    • Dining OR Grocery (choose one for the year): 3x

    • Travel: 2x

    • Everything else: 1x

  • Bilt Cash: 4% back on every purchase

  • Perks:

    • $100 Bilt Portal Hotel Credit ($50 semi-annually, 2 night minimum)

• Palladium Card

  • Annual Fee: $495

  • Sign-up Bonus:

    • 50K Bilt Points

    • Bilt Gold Status through January 2028

    • $300 Bilt Cash

  • Earning Categories:

    • Rent/Mortgage: 1-1.25x

    • Everything else: 2x

  • Bilt Cash: 4% back on every purchase

  • Perks:

    • $400 Bilt Portal Hotel Credit ($200 semi-annually, 2 night minimum)

    • $200 Bilt Cash Annually

    • Priority Pass Lounge Access

You maybe guessed it, but I went with the Palladium card. My strategy for 2026 is to earn as much Atmos points and status as possible. Bilt points transfer 1:1 to Atmos, so effectively, the Palladium gets me a 2x Atmos point catch-all card. Throw in the bonus, perks, and the ability to earn an additional 4% back in Bilt Cash, and I was sold.

Now here are the questions everyone is asking: what the f*ck is Bilt Cash, how does it work, and how much is it worth?

I have to say, for such a big announcement, Bilt gave surprisingly few details on the new feature that their whole program is seemingly built around (pardon the pun).

From what we know, Bilt Cash can be redeemed for “unlocking” earning points on your rent and mortgage (this is what caused the bulk of the confusion and outrage), credits on Bilt Neighborhood Partners (like Lyft and restaurants in their dining program), or credits on hotels booked in their portal.

The last option is the most appealing to me, which is also the focus on the YouTube video I shared. See, I don’t need to use my Bilt Cash to get points on my rent, and that is because I actually pay my rent through the Bilt portal using my new Atmos Summit card. Doing so incurs a 3% fee, but I am able to earn 3x Atmos points on my rent and 1 status point for every $2 spent.

This means I will accrue a bunch of Bilt Cash on my everyday spending that I will have to use elsewhere, and Bilt announced that you can only roll over $100 in Bilt Cash from year to year. My plan then, based on the small amount of information that we have today, is to treat my Bilt Cash as just hotel dollars.

I can combine the $400 in annual hotel credits, $200 in annual Bilt Cash, $300 in Bilt Cash from the sign up bonus, and the 4% Bilt Cash that I earn through spending on the card to book free trips through the Bilt Portal. Even better, the Gold status earned from the sign up bonus will unlock Bilt’s “Home Away from Home” collection, which will give me additional benefits on hotels like early/late checkin/out, $100 Resort credit, daily breakfast for two, and upgrades upon checking in.

This makes the Bilt Palladium card well worth the $495 annual fee for me. I am treating it like a 2x Atmos catch-all and a 4x hotel catch-all, all in one.

If you made it to this point, drop a comment to say hi. And as always, please like and consider sharing with a friend who you think would enjoy! I’ll be back next week. ✌️

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1. [YouTube] Golden Globes - Nikki Glaser Opening Monologue | 83rd Annual Golden Globes

Awards season is heating up. I’ll let the pundits read the tea leaves, but it really looks like One Battle After Another is going to run away with it at the Oscars.

I tuned into the Globes for this opening monologue, and then I quickly turned it off. Not because I didn’t enjoy it, but because I had planned to watch The Hustler while my fiancé is out of town (she refuses to watch black and white movies).

If you love the entertainment industry, and you also love to laugh, then you’re going to love this clip.

2. [Deal] Atmos Shopping Portal - Factor Meal Delivery

I am not sure if this is a targeted offer or not, so your mileage may vary, but I noticed that Factor has an elevated bonus when purchasing through the Atmos Shopping Portal. If you click through the portal and make any purchase on Factor’s website, you will earn a flat 3,100 points (up from 1,300).

For someone who is chasing Atmos status and has been Factor-curious for some time, now feels like a perfect time to try it out. You can earn 1 Atmos status point for every 3 redeemable points earned in the Atmos portal, so this purchase will net you just over 1,000 status points—not bad for a small amount of spend.

Additionally, I plan on stacking this deal with an Amex offer I have for $10 off a $50 Factor order. Make sure to check out your credit card offers to see if you have any similar deals.

3. [YouTube] Chargers33 - A Football Life: LaDainian Tomlinson

When I think back on the NFL during my childhood, two players come to mind: Tom Brady and LaDainian Tomlinson. Coincidentally, their two teams, the Patriots and Chargers, just faced off last weekend in the playoffs (RIP Bolts).

I have such fond memories of watching LT tear up the field in San Diego. This video celebrates both the player and the man.

If you made it to this point, drop a comment to say hi. And as always, please like and consider sharing with a friend who you think would enjoy! I’ll be back next week. ✌️

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1. [Blog] Nerdist - The 15 Essential CLONE WARS Episodes and Arcs

2026 is upon us. Last week, I shared some tools for creating New Year resolutions, and it looks like my Dad took it to heart. I guess his 2026 goal is to become a total Star Wars nerd. Since I introduced him to Andor season 2 over the holidays, he has been absolutely ripping through Star Wars content, watching all of Andor, Rogue One, the prequels, and now working his way through the original trilogy. Not sure where this came from, but I am letting him join me on the dark side.

I practically fell out of my chair when he asked me to send him a list of the most essential Clone Wars episodes. Then again, I haven’t met anyone who has watched the show and hasn’t fallen in love with it. It bridges Episodes II and III beautifully, and the added context enriches the story and grants a whole new appreciation for the prequels. I could try making my own list, but that would take too long. This list from Nerdist will do.

It may seem like 35 episodes is a lot, but when you consider that seasons 1-6 have 121 episodes, this really is a streamlined list. I’ll list the episodes below and add in my opinion for the final season. This way, you can round out your Clone Wars experience, alongside my padawan: my dad.

• The Nerdist List

  • 1.01 (Season 1, Episode 1) — Ambush

  • 1.05 — Rookies

  • 1.10 — Lair of Grievous

  • 2.05-08 — The Second Battle of Geonosis

  • 2.11 — Lightsaber Lost

  • 2.12-14 — The Mandalore Trilogy

  • 2.18-19 — The Zillo Beast

  • 3.02 — ARC Troopers

  • 3.12-14 — The Nightsisters Trilogy

  • 3.15-17 — The Mortis Trilogy

  • 4.19-22 — The Return of Maul

  • 5.06-09 — The Young Jedi

  • 5.01, 14-16 — Shadow Conspiracy

  • 5.17-20 — Ahsoka’s Exit

  • 6.10-13 — Yoda’s Arc

• My Suggestions for Season 7

  • Optional: 7.01-04 — Bad Batch Intro (definitely watch if you are interested in watching the Bad Batch show, which I also highly suggest)

  • Mandatory: 7.9-12 — The Finale (absolute bangers)

2. [Podcast] The Big Picture - The 26 Most Anticipated Movies of 2026

Sean and Amanda reference soooo many movies in this episode, the majority of which I have never even heard of. But the episode definitely got me excited about another year at the theaters (or watching Netflix).

Another list incoming… Here are Amanda’s and Sean’s top three’s, and I will also include my top three from their list of honorable mentions (a little Tom top 3 within Tom’s Top 3???). To get you hype, I’ll also include a quick description, release dates, and links to the trailers (where possible).

• Amanda’s Top 3 (listed 3 to 1)

  • Artificial

    • The Sam Altman OpenAI story, directed by Luca Guadagnino

    • No release date set

  • Project Hail Mary

    • Ryan Gosling stuck in space, based on the popular Andy Weir book

    • March 20 release date

  • The Odyssey

    • Christopher Nolan takes on Homer with a stacked cast

    • July 17 release date

• Sean’s Top 3 (listed 3 to 1)

  • The Adventures of Cliff Booth

    • Brad Pitt, David Fincher, and Quentin Tarantino team up for the spiritual sequel to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

    • likely coming to Netflix in the summer

  • Dune: Part Three

    • The end of the trilogy

    • December 18 release date

  

  • Disclosure Day

    • Steven Spielberg is back!

    • June 12 release date

• Tom’s Top 3 Honorable Mentions (no particular order)

  • Avenger’s: Doomsday

    • Thor is back, Steve Rodgers is back, the X-Men are back, RDJ is back

    • December 18 release date

  • Hoppers

    • New Pixar movie that actually looks good

    • March 6 release date

  • 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple

    • First 2026 movie I’m excited for, we’ll see if it holds up to 28 Years Later

    • January 16 release date

3. [YouTube] MLB Network - “Koufax at 90”

A beautiful piece written by a beautiful man (Tom Verducci), narrated by a beautiful man (Bryan Cranston), about a beautiful man (Sandy Koufax).

Go Dodgers.

If you made it to this point, drop a comment to say hi. And as always, please like and consider sharing with a friend who you think would enjoy! I’ll be back next week. ✌️

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Here we are! The last newsletter of 2025—another year in the books. As we head into the new year, you might be thinking about setting goals or resolutions. I’m in the same boat, so here are some of the tools I am using to have the best 2026 possible.

1. [Articles] Sahil Bloom - The Personal Annual Review & The Annual Planning Guide

In this two-part series, Sahil Bloom outlines methods and templates for reflecting on the past year and using those insights to craft good goals for the year to come.

The Annual Review consists of seven questions:

• What did I change my mind on this year?

• What created energy this year?

• What drained energy this year?

• What were the Boat Anchors in my life?

• What did I not do because of fear?

• What were my greatest hits and worst misses?

• What did I learn this year?

For me, I find the energy creation/draining questions to be the most helpful in identifying how I should be spending my time.

The crux of the Annual Planning Guide is breaking up your big, year-long goals into more approachable chunks (Checkpoint Goals), and then setting up daily systems that put you in position to hit your targets.

Bloom also suggests setting Anti-Goals, or what you don’t want to sacrifice throughout the year. Anti-goals are your guardrails.

2. [Podcast] Huberman Lab - Essentials: How to Set & Achieve Goals

Like Bloom, Huberman suggests having concrete goals with milestones set up in shorter intervals. He believes we can leverage dopamine to achieve our goals through use of behavioral tools, system thinking, and the visual system.

To me, the most interesting part of the podcast is when Huberman explains that negative visualization is more impactful than positive visualization. In the scientific literature, visualizing the negative outcome from not achieving your goal has been shown to actually double your probability of hitting it.

3. [YouTube] Steven Toozer - ARNOLD - “WHO DO YOU WANT TO BE?”

Sometime, when you’re in the dog days of summer, just trying to push through those increasingly-alluding Checkpoint Goals, you might need…

a little pep-talk from Arnold.

I’ll be back, next year! Happy holidays everyone!

If you made it to this point, drop a comment to say hi. And as always, please like and consider sharing with a friend who you think would enjoy! I’ll be back next week. ✌️

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First, I want to shout out my wonderful, beautiful, intelligent, and caring fiancé Charlotte who just couldn’t contain her excitement regarding her Christmas gift to me. So much so that she gave me the gift a couple days early! Now, I want to share it with you so you can see just how wonderful, beautiful, intelligent and caring she is.

I present to you: Star Wars Catan!

Isn’t this awesome?!?! Charlotte customized all of the resources, board, characters, etc to be all Star Wars themed, and it came out great. I can’t wait to play it, and I just wanted to give a shoutout and thank you to Charlotte. 🩵

This week, I’ll keep it short and just suggest some things to watch over the holiday break. Enjoy.

1. [TV Show] Netflix - Nobody Wants This

So funny. Love the characters, especially Sasha, played by the amazing Tim Simons. Season 2 just came out this year, so we have been binging to catch up, and now we are loving the new season.

2. [Movie] Universal Pictures - The Thing (1982)

Another shoutout is in order. This time for my cousin, Aidan, who recommended this film and regularly follows the newsletter (thanks bro).

This movie is awesome. John Carpenter is so amazing at building suspense and anxiety. It really holds up, even after 43 years.

We decided it’s a Christmas movie… because it takes place in the snow…

3. [YouTube] Ringer Movies - And the Oscars Go to … YouTube?!

Can’t go a week without some Hollywood news. In 2029, the Academy Awards are going from ABC to YouTube. ABC will end its run with the 100th Oscars in 2028, before handing it over to Google.

This excerpt from a longer podcast goes through how this could be a good thing for movies.

If you made it to this point, drop a comment to say hi. And as always, please like and consider sharing with a friend who you think would enjoy! I’ll be back next week. ✌️

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If you thought the Warner Bros acquisition would be the biggest news of the holiday season, you wouldn’t be alone, but you’d be wrong.

Let’s discuss the ups and downs of the last week in entertainment.

1. [YouTube] CineFix - Rob Reiner Breaks Down His Best Shots From The Princess Bride, Spinal Tap and More

I was truly shocked and saddened to hear the news about Rob Reiner’s murder. I grew up watching so many of his movies—a true fixture in film and TV over the last 50+ years, starting with his breakout role in All in the Family.

Rather than focus on the news story, I figured I’d share this recent video of Reiner talking through some of his favorite (and least favorite) shots from his career. I think it is an interesting retrospective, highlighting bits and pieces from some of his iconic films: Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, Misery, and A Few Good Men.

RIP Rob Reiner.

2. [Podcast] Daily Tech News Show - Why Disney Struck a Deal with OpenAI

On Thursday, the House of Mouse announced that they have invested $1B in OpenAI, creator of ChatGPT and Sora. As part of the three-year deal, Disney employees will have access to OpenAI’s tools, but more importantly, Disney has agreed to license the use of some of its IP for OpenAI to use in the Sora image generation tool.

The list of licensed content is large, but it only includes creatures and masked characters. Additionally, users cannot create long-form content or use actor voices. Disney owns all of the content created using the IP, and they plan on featuring some of the best user-generated videos directly on Disney+.

I think this is a smart move for Disney. They get to dip their toe in user/AI-generated content while limiting risk (no faces, voices, or long-form), own about 1% of the hottest AI company in the world pre-IPO, and set themselves up for future deals with AI companies after the one-year exclusive with OpenAI (ahem, Google). And if it fails, it’s only a three-year commitment!

I will be curious to see how it performs and how it will sit with the creative community. While non-threatening now, some may see this as a slippery slope.

3. [YouTube] Bombastic - The NEW Star Wars ‘RPG’ Explained in 10 Minutes…

Right off the heels of the huge OpenAI announcement, Disney also released trailers for two new Star Wars video games: Fate of the Old Republic and Galactic Racer.

While Galactic Racer will be super cool and released in 2026, Fate of the Old Republic is getting the most coverage because of the popularity of its “spiritual predecessor,” Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR).

The game is bringing back the director and creative team that has made some of the most popular Role-Playing Games (RPGs) of all time, including KOTOR. With this being just a teaser trailer, the game is not expected to be coming anytime soon. It’s possible we don’t see it shipped for another 5 years.

Nonetheless, very exciting stuff for Star Wars video game fans.

If you made it to this point, drop a comment to say hi. And as always, please like and consider sharing with a friend who you think would enjoy! I’ll be back next week. ✌️

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I’m sorry for being a day late. I spent 5 hours at the cinema yesterday watching Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair, and I underestimated the effect this marathon of a movie would have on my day… and health.

That said, I highly suggest going to see it if you love Tarantino. Movies are back!! Well, maybe not. Read on.

1. [Podcast] The Daily - Netflix vs. Paramount: Inside the Epic Battle Over Warner Brothers

I gotta be honest, Netflix buying Warner Bros was definitely not on my Bingo card for 2025.

Fresh off his merger with Paramount, David Ellison probably thought they had Warner Bros in the bag once David Zaslav put up the ‘For Sale’ sign. Paramount-Skydance was the only real buyer who was interested in all of WBD (including the D, for Discovery), whereas the other potential buyers only wanted the studio and streaming assets. Add in Daddy Ellison’s credit card and Trump’s backing, it’s over.

That is… until Netflix entered the picture. Netflix offered $30 a share for just Warner Bros, which is technically a higher bid.

This podcast does a great job of getting everyone up to speed on the story and the potential ramifications if this deal does go through. But it is far from over. Paramount is attempting a hostile takeover, going straight to the WBD shareholders.

This will all get sorted out over the coming months (years?). I really feel bad for the WBD employees who still have to go about their workdays as if their new overlords aren’t going to axe half the company once the deal is closed.

Strategically, this could be checkmate for Netflix. If they are able to land this deal, they would take HBO off the board and have access to Warner Bros’ treasure chest of franchises and IP (DC, Harry Potter, Barbie, Lord of the Rings, etc.). The streaming war might be over.

Despite this reality, Netflix’s stock has actually dropped since this news broke. In addition to Wall Street, the creative community is not excited about this development either. The worry is that not only would there be one less buyer for content, but there is a good chance that Netflix does not commit to theatrical releases over the long term. This could spell the end of the theater business.

One final nail in the coffin, with a loud “tudum.”

2. [Article] Los Angeles Times - Westwood’s Village Theater to be run by American Cinematheque upon 2027 reopening

If you love movie theaters, and you’re sad about the Warner Bros news, you will be happy to read this article regarding the revival of the legendary Westwood Village Theater.

A coalition of top directors, led by Jason Reitman, are bringing the theater back to its former glory, and American Cinematheque will handle the programming and day-to-day. AC is awesome. They program a blend of new and old movies/TV across their three locations in LA: The Aero, The Los Feliz 3, and The Egyptian.

The article paints a rosy picture of the plans for the Westwood Village Theater:

The remodeled venue is expected to host special screenings with in-person conversations, premieres, awards-season events, new releases, repertory titles and an expanded slate of AC’s signature festivals, including Beyond Fest, Bleak Week, This Is Not a Fiction and Ultra Cinematheque 70 Fest. The Village has been a showcase for Hollywood premieres since its opening in 1931, a tradition the partners say they intend to continue.

3. [Product] Lesure Cat Tunnel

Maybe you’ve seen this product all over social media. We did. And we bought it.

It’s so fun. Part tunnel, part bed. We are currently using it as our Christmas tree skirt, and our cat (and dog) love it.

It’s on sale right now, purrrrfect for the holidays.

If you made it to this point, drop a comment to say hi. And as always, please like and consider sharing with a friend who you think would enjoy! I’ll be back next week. ✌️

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