Tom's Top 3: May 6, 2025
Bring Me Back to 2005
Hi everyone! Welcome to this week’s installment of Tom’s Top 3 Tuesdays, where I highlight three pieces of content (Podcasts/Shows/Songs/Articles/etc.) that I found interesting or noteworthy from the prior week.
If you find this newsletter worthwhile, please consider sharing with a friend. Your support really does make a difference, so I appreciate it in advance. 🙏
[Podcast] Martini Shot - The Leakiest Business
This short, 11-minute podcast gives a very eloquent and funny history lesson on the entertainment business, explaining how the inefficiencies in the industry may have paradoxically led to its lucrativeness.
It also describes how advertising has always been at the core of the business, and that things may be reverting back to the way it used to be.
[Movie] Thunderbolts*
Is Marvel back?
I certainly hope so. This movie was a step in the right direction.
The movie felt authentic—it’s own story with it’s own style, while still maintaining the Marvel feel that we’ve grown accustomed to.
I learned today that this trailer was actually made as a joke by the director, playing on the fact that many of the filmmakers come from the indie/A24 scene. Kevin Feige found it hilarious, and the trailer gets released to us. That’s awesome.
The big difference with this film is that the humor actually hit for me. While every joke may not have landed, I found myself laughing out loud during many points throughout the film. And it actually has a plot, which is more than I can say for some of the recent MCU content.
I may even go back to the theater to see it a second time. 🤫
[YouTube] HoloNet Marauders - Revenge of the Sith: End of a Marketing Era
I could not be more Star Wars pilled than I am right now.
Revenge of the Sith just came back to theaters. Andor season 2 is delivering bangers. May the 4th just hit. And Tales of the Underworld did not disappoint.
I may or may not, as a grown-ass adult, have spent a grotesque amount of money on Star Wars Lego. Who’s to say.
In the wake of the hype, it was no surprise that the marketing from ROTS came bubbling back up.
Imagine: it’s 2005. Little Tom runs home from Mrs. Warchuck’s (probably butchered that spelling) second grade class to catch the latest episode of The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. Life is good.
Then the commercials come on, and Little Tom falls prey to the largest marketing brainwashing of his lifetime. Every ounce of dopamine hits his brain at once… He must have it all.
At least that’s what it felt like. I remember begging my parents to go to Burger King to get those collectable watches. Hell, I probably developed a lifelong craving for Pops cereal just because I wanted those damn lightsaber spoons. All the cool kids had those color-changing lightsabers, and the voice changing Darth Vader helmet was the pièce de résistance of my Halloween costume.
If you’re at all a Star Wars fan, or you were a kid around 2005, this video will give you all the feels.
That wraps up this edition of Tom’s Top 3 Tuesdays. If you made it to this point, please drop a 1️⃣, 2️⃣, or 3️⃣ in the comments to let me know what you found most interesting/useful. And as always, please like and consider sharing with a friend who you think would enjoy! I’ll be back next week. ✌️
3️⃣ !!!