JOCELYN DIAZ: Hi movie friends, welcome to season one, episode three of our podcast where we will be rating popular movies and shows in 2025 such as “Squid Games”, “Sonic 3”, “Wicked”, and “Moana 2.” Let’s get into it!
KAROL CABRERA: First, we’re going to talk about “Squid Game 2.” This popular Netflix original was produced by Hwang Dong-hyuk, it released on December 26, 2024. Can you explain the storyline of the show, Guadalupe?
GUADALUPE BRITO: Yeah, so in Squid Game Season Two, Player 456 returns to the games with a plan. He wants to put an end to the deadly games. As Player 456 goes through new and harder challenges, he finds out secrets about the people running the games.
DIAZ: At the same time, the police officer who survived the first season is trying to track down his brother. This new season introduces new characters and activities like a voting system that lets players decide if the game continues or if they go home. Do you guys know any theories about the show?
CABRERA: There is a theory that the Squid Game Season Two poster advertisement shows who the last three players will be. In Season One’s poster, in the center of the poster, the main character Gi-hun stands near two players who end up being the last ones left at the end of the season.
BRITO: So it’s theorized that the same thing might be true in the second season where the three in the poster’s center are gonna be the last ones standing. I feel like this theory would make sense because it’s happened before.
DIAZ: Another theory is that the captain of the boat might be helping with the games which is why the police officer can’t find the island even though he’s been searching for years. Not only that, but the captain might also be helping to transport the organs from the island to other places.
CABRERA: Lastly, there is a theory that Thanos’ dad might be a previous winner of the games because when they’re playing red light green light he says that his dad used to say the same things player 456 was saying. Also, Thanos said that his dad used to say that they put a chip in his brain which player 456 had removed at the beginning of season two.
DIAZ: Now let’s get into the ratings! I would give this an 8/10 because I think it is a very interesting and entertaining show to watch with many mysteries. What would you give it, Guadalupe?
BRITO: A 7/10 because it’s a sequel to the first season and I like the new games and characters that they added. It makes it fun to watch. How about you Karol, what would you give it?
CABRERA: I’d give this show an 8/10 because I liked all the new characters that are introduced but I wish there was more of a background for them like in season one of the Squid Game.
DIAZ: The second movie that we’ll talk about is “Sonic 3.” This movie was released on December 20, 2024, and was directed by Jeff Fowler. Can you tell us a little bit about this movie?
BRITO: In “Sonic the Hedgehog 3,” Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles fight a new villain, Shadow, which is like a black-colored version of Sonic. As they struggle against Shadow’s superpowers, the main characters have to work with Dr. Robotnik.
CABRERA: They work together to stop the disaster from happening to Earth. Throughout this, they find out about Shadow’s past and the reasons behind his actions. Are there any theories on the movie?
DIAZ: There really aren’t many theories on this movie but there is a theory that the shirt color Maddie wears foreshadows the next character that will come out in the next movie. In the first movie, Maddie wore a yellow shirt and then tails appeared. In the second movie, she wore a red shirt, and Knuckles came out and in this movie, she wore a pink shirt so many people think that Amy will come out in the next movie. Now onto ratings, what would you rate this movie?
BRITO: I would give this an 8/10 because I really loved the storyline and it was very entertaining. I liked watching my favorite characters on screen while drinking my red cherry icee. What would you rate it, Karol?
CABRERA: I would give it a 9/10 because I thought the movie was really funny, especially in the part where the two people are dancing. What would you give it, Jocelyn?
DIAZ: I would also rate this movie a 9/10 because I really liked it and my black baddie came out. Next, we will talk about Wicked which was released on November 22, 2024, and directed by Jon M. Chu. Can you tell us a little about this movie?
CABRERA: Wicked is about a girl named Elphaba who is judged a lot by everyone because of her green skin when she becomes friends with Glinda, a popular student. Elphaba’s biggest wish is to meet the Wizard of Oz but when she does, she realizes he isn’t who she thought he was. The Wizard of Oz wants to use her for her power as he doesn’t have any of his own. She decides she doesn’t want to be a part of them so she runs away, becoming a rogue witch.
BRITO: Are there any theories on this movie?
DIAZ: Yes, there is a theory that in The Wizard of Oz, the witch that is squished by the house is Elphaba’s sister and that is why she is mad and trying to get Dorthy.
BRITO: Not only that but there is a theory that Fiyero is the Scarecrow, Boq is the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion was a lion Elphaba once saved. In Wicked, Fiyero is transformed into the Scarecrow by Elphaba’s magic to save him.
CABRERA: Boq, who had feelings for Glinda, is turned into the Tin Man after a spell gone wrong. The Cowardly Lion was a cub that Elphaba freed, which made him dependent on others, leading to his fearfulness. Moving on to the rating, what would you rate this movie, Guadalupe?
BRITO: I would give this movie a 6/10 because I loved the characters but the storyline confused me and I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would.
CABRERA: I would rate this a 5/10 because I’m not a big fan of all the singing and it was confusing how it connected to the Wizard of Oz. What about you Jocelyn?
DIAZ: I would give this movie a 4/10 because I personally did not like it and it was not something I would watch again.
CABRERA: The final movie we will talk about is “Mufasa: The Lion King.” This movie was released on December 20, 2024, and was directed by Barry Jenkins. Can you tell us about this movie?
DIAZ: “Mufasa: The Lion King” is a prequel that explores Mufasa’s origin story. As a young cub, Mufasa is orphaned and taken in by a new pride, where he forms a brotherly bond with Taka, who later becomes Scar. Their relationship is tested by challenges and jealousy, changing them both. The movie shows how Mufasa grows into a strong and wise leader of the Pride Lands.
CABRERA: This movie doesn’t have any theories but some interesting things about it are the songs produced. One of the songs made was “I Always Wanted A Brother” by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Nicholas Britell. It is sung by Braelyn Rankins, Theo Somolu, and more artists.
DIAZ: I loved this song and I’m so happy that it was produced for the movie! One of my favorite shows is Hamilton so I loved seeing Miranda’s work in this movie as well.
BRITO: Also, another song that was made was “We Go Together.” It’s a song where Mufasa sings about how he values Sarabi. It was sung by and written by Miranda and Lebo M. which made a good combination. Anyways, moving onto the ratings! What would you give to Jocelyn?
DIAZ: I would give this a 7/10 because I don’t like live action movies and it isn’t something I would watch ever again. What would you rate it Karol?
CABRERA: I would rate this movie a 6/10 because I didn’t like the live action and I thought it was weird that Taka changed into Scar. What about you Guadalupe?
BRITO: I would give it a 8/10 because I liked watching the movie and learning more about Mufasa’s backstory. The songs were also cool to hear because they’re originals made for the movie. Anyways thank you Wizards for listening to our podcast! Make sure to listen to our next episode to hear more about movies that are popular.
