Half in the Bag: 2025 Mid-Year Catch-up

Quick Overview

Mike and Jay of Half in the Bag conduct their 2025 mid-year film catch-up, reviewing several films including the British horror "Restless," the Paul Reubens documentary "Pee-wee Does Himself," and the bizarre "Manunian Man," before dedicating a significant portion to dissecting the confusing and poorly executed horror film "The Other," which they ironically recommend for its baffling plot and production flaws.

Key Points: Mike attempts to use a VCR as a keyboard due to new tariffs, finding the process "infinitely more complicated" for a simple Google search. Mike recommends "Restless," a "fantastic British horror film thriller" about a woman tormented by a loud neighbor, and "Marshmallow," a summer camp horror with a "Shamalandian twist." Jay highlights "Pee-wee Does Himself," a "fantastic documentary" on Paul Reubens' struggle with privacy, and "Manunian Man," a documentary on British bodybuilder filmmaker Cliff Twlo, whose film GBH became a "video nasty." Both hosts discuss "Friendship," a Tim Robinson vehicle that features "very Tim Robinsonesque moments" but remains "somewhat grounded" without escalating to "Freddy Got Fingeredesque" absurdity. Mike praises "Final Destination Bloodlines" as a "very solid entry" in the series, finding its "Rube Goldbergian setups" for deaths "very funny." The main discussion centers on "The Other," a horror film about an adopted mute girl whose "absorbed twin" in her brain causes supernatural events, leading to a confusing plot with "baffling" lore. The film "The Other" features a "magical Down syndrome person" who helps by hitting the girl's head with a hammer, and a doctor who explains the "brainister" twin in a "horrific" yet "funny" manner.

Context: Mike and Jay, hosts of "Half in the Bag," present their "2025 Mid-Year Catch-up" episode, where they discuss various films they have watched since their last recap. The episode begins with a comedic sketch involving Mike's bizarre attempt to use a VCR as a keyboard due to high tariffs, setting a tone for their often-ironic and critical film discussions. They cover a range of genres, from British horror and documentaries to mainstream horror sequels, culminating in an extensive, bewildered analysis of a particularly confusing independent horror film.