The Playback - February 2025

Welcome to The Playback—a monthly roundup of everything I’ve been watching and listening to, meticulously curated for your judgment. Some will find my taste impeccable; others will wonder if I’m in the midst of a crisis. Either way, here it is.

Movies:

Nosferatu (2024) - Dir Robert Eggers

Well, we may as well kick things off with my favourite film of the year so far. As a fully certified Eggers fanboy, I was worried that I’d hyped this up to an unreasonable degree—especially with the internet seemingly split 50/50 between calling it a masterpiece and a miserable slog. Thankfully, I was not disappointed.

Where to begin? The cinematography makes every frame look like a beautiful gothic painting you’d find in a haunted estate, the performances (particularly Lily-Rose Depp and Willem Dafoe) are completely hypnotic, and the entire film just drips with eerie, unsettling beauty. In short, it was near perfection.

Now, I will say —this is absolutely not for everyone. If you need your horror films to move at break-neck speed, you might struggle. But if you like Eggers, if you like The Witch, and if you have a deep appreciation for the slow, creeping dread of classic horror… then I think you’ll love it.

The Gorge (2025) - Dir Scott Derrickson

I’ll be honest—I wasn’t expecting much from this. Based on the trailers, it had all the makings of a perfectly average action/horror film, the kind that starts strong, stumbles halfway, and collapses entirely before the credits roll.

Did I love it? No. Did I hate it? Also no. Was I entertained? Surprisingly, yes. There’s not much more to say, really. The creature design was pretty solid, the backstory/twist was… well, there, and the whole thing was decent enough to keep me engaged on a gloomy Sunday afternoon. Not groundbreaking, but not a complete waste of time either—sometimes, that’s all you need.

Smile 2 (2024) - Dir Parker Finn

Given how I felt about the original, Smile 2 was easily my least anticipated film of February. But I was bored, it was there, and I figured, why not? Turns out, that was an excellent decision.

This sequel absolutely blows the first one out of the water. Visually and sonically, it’s a massive step up—the cinematography is gorgeous, the soundtrack hits just right, and they’ve dialed up the gore without veering into the completely absurd. Plus, Naomi Scott absolutely owns the lead role.

Look, this isn’t high art. No one’s calling it a masterpiece. But it is an absolute blast. Well worth your time.

Television:

What we Do In The Shadows

I remember enjoying the original mockumentary from Taika Waititi & Jemaine Clement, but for some reason, I never got around to watching the follow-up series. Huge mistake.

I don’t think I’ve ever binged six seasons of a show this fast—only to be so devastated when it ended that I immediately restarted from the beginning like some sort of undead time loop. There’s honestly very little to complain about here, aside from a few questionable choices in the final season. But let’s be real—very few shows stick the landing perfectly.

The main cast is nothing short of brilliant, delivering some of the funniest, most quotable lines I’ve heard in years. I genuinely can’t remember the last time a show had me laughing out loud this much. Absolutely recommended.

Twin Peaks

Yes, I know—I’m ridiculously late to the party. About 35 years late, to be exact. Given my love for all things weird and unsettling, you’d think David Lynch would have been on my radar ages ago, but for whatever reason, I’ve never properly dived into his work.

That said, I’m only three episodes into Twin Peaks, and I’m already completely smitten. The vibe, the setting—I’d move there in a heartbeat (murders and supernatural oddities be damned).

I can’t wait to get fully lost in this world—original seasons, the movie, The Return, all of it. Expect a full report once I inevitably spiral into Lynch-induced madness.

Music:

Instead of going on and on about what I’ve been listening to, I thought I’d just make a playlist. Much easier, right? I’ll be doing this every month, so feel free to follow it on Spotify to keep up. Apple Music listeners, I’m truly sorry, but you’ll have to survive without my impeccable taste for now. Enjoy!

Thank you for joining me! Feel free to subscribe (it’s free, I swear) if you’d like more of this nonsense sent directly to your inbox. I’m not great at reviewing or writing, but I promise it’s at least mildly entertaining—probably. See you next time!