Movie Mike's Movie Podcast

Episode: 10 Overlooked Movies that Belong in National Film Registry + Review: Send Help + Trailer Park: The Devil Wears Prada 2
Date: February 14, 2026
Host: Movie Mike

Episode Overview

In this episode, Movie Mike dives deep into the National Film Registry, spotlighting his top 10 overlooked movies that deserve preservation for their cultural, historical, or aesthetic significance. He breaks down the annual additions to the Registry, shares why his picks matter, delivers a spoiler-free review of Sam Raimi’s Send Help, and explores the surprising hype around the trailer for The Devil Wears Prada 2. Plus, Mike ranks the upcoming “number two” sequels set to release in 2026.

1. What is the National Film Registry? (Starts at 02:14)

• Overview: The Library of Congress annually selects 25 films “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” for preservation.
• Eligibility: Films must be at least 10 years old.
• Purpose: “When we preserve films, we preserve American culture for generations to come. These selections for the Registry show us the films instrumental in capturing important parts of our nation’s story.” (03:04)
• Collection Sites: Most are housed at the Packard Campus for Audiovisual Conservation in Culpepper, Virginia.
• Notable Past Inductees: Casablanca, The Wizard of Oz, The Lion King, etc.

2. This Year's Newly Inducted Films (03:45–04:45)

Mike reads through the newly inducted titles, highlighting the jump from deep film history into more recent works:

• Oldest to newest listed:
  • The Tramp and the Dog (1896)
  • High Society (1956)
  • The Thing (1982)
  • Karate Kid (1984)
  • Glory (1989)
  • Philadelphia (1993)
  • Clueless (1995)
  • The Truman Show (1998)
  • The Incredibles (2004)
  • Inception (2010)
  • The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

Mike’s Rating:

• “Overall, I would rate this class about a B plus... I think you have some really big players here with movies like Karate Kid, Philadelphia, Clueless, The Truman Show, The Incredibles, Inception, and The Grand Budapest Hotel.” (05:10)

3. Movie Mike’s Top 10 Overlooked Movies for the National Film Registry (05:44–29:52)

1. The Sandlot (1993)

• “The most pivotal movie of the 90s... a movie with so much rewatchability, so iconic in so many ways. You can't get through any Halloween without somebody dressing up like somebody from The Sandlot.” (06:18)

2. A Goofy Movie (1995)

• “It's a cult classic... more relevant now than ever with millennials of all backgrounds.”
• “A movie about a father bonding with his son, through the eyes of Goofy—as ridiculous as it sounds, it's so meaningful.” (08:15)

3. Friday (1995)

• “One of the most quotable movies of the 90s, celebrating humor in everyday life of South Central Los Angeles.”
• “Sparked so many memes, with great representation and an enduring legacy.” (09:48)

4. Napoleon Dynamite (2004)

• “So influential on indie comedy, fashion, and created a moment in the 2000s that could never be replicated.”
• Iconic Quotes: “Vote for Pedro” / “Gosh, Tina, you fat lard!” (11:00)

5. Scream (1996)

• “Brought new blood into the slasher genre. …It gave us one of the most iconic masks of all time with Ghostface.”
• “Changed the way audiences engage with horror.” (12:32)

6. The Hangover (2009)

• “The definitive raunchy comedy of my lifetime. The most relevant Las Vegas movie... Alan at Caesar’s Palace, asking if this is the real Caesar’s Palace?” (14:05)

7. Her (2013)

• “Exploration of human interaction with AI... predicted what is happening now with ChatGPT and people falling in love with AI.”
• “It was such a big commentary on the psychological impact of our relationships with screens.” (16:42)

8. Remember the Titans (2000)

• “Not just a football movie, but also the true story of racial integration in the 1970s.”
• “If you ask anybody now who plays football… I bet you 60-70% of them always say Remember the Titans [is their favorite sports movie].” (20:02)

9. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

• “My favorite romance sci-fi movie… so impactful on me as a 13 year old.”
• “Teaches you why those painful experiences make you who you need to be.”
• “Life is not perfect. It's going to be messy.” (22:43)

10. Mean Girls (2004)

• “A perfect movie—not just a perfect comedy. Still remains culturally relevant at portraying teenage social hierarchies and the toxic effects of bullying.”
• “You could still walk into a Walmart or Target and find a T-shirt or something with ‘On Wednesdays we wear pink’.” (27:52)

Honorable Mentions:

• The Usual Suspects (passed due to controversial figures)
• Interstellar
• Inglourious Basterds
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Lilo & Stitch, Juno, Avengers, Spider-Man, Avatar, Super Troopers, Moneyball

Notable Recap Quote:
“My list: The Sandlot, A Goofy Movie, Friday, Napoleon Dynamite, Scream, The Hangover, Her, Remember the Titans, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and Mean Girls.” (29:43)

4. Spoiler-Free Review: Send Help (Dir. Sam Raimi) (32:46–42:47)

Premise

• Rachel McAdams plays a brilliant, socially awkward strategy executive. After her tyrannical new boss (Dylan O’Brien) takes over the company, a work-trip plane crash strands them together on an island, forcing a reversal of their power dynamic.
• McAdams’ character, obsessed with the show Survivor and survival manuals, suddenly holds all the cards.

Notable Insights

• “I had, surprisingly, a lot of fun watching this movie… When it comes to Sam Raimi and his vision, his Campiness, which he is really famous for—it works.” (33:03)
• On McAdams: “She is so charming in the way that she is so uncomfortable… she is so good at her job but just lacks those social skills and awareness.” (34:47)
• On the Hollywood “ugly” trope: “It is really hard to believe that she, in this office, would be the quote, unquote, ugly one.” (35:30)
• On Dylan O’Brien: “He is so good in this at being so unlikable… The more I started to think about it, the more I realized there are real people like this in corporate America.” (36:55)
• Camp and surrealism: “There is a boar that they hunt… kind of like a more hardcore Pumbaa from The Lion King.” (39:04)
• On Sam Raimi’s vision: “I’m so grateful that he fought for this movie because it made for a great in-theater experience. It was fun, people were laughing.” (39:44)
• “Sam Raimi knows his vision, knows how he wants to see his movie play out. And I’m so grateful that he fought for this movie.” (41:29)

Final Rating:
“For Send Help, I give it 4 out of 5 islands.” (42:44)

5. Movie Mike’s Trailer Park: The Devil Wears Prada 2 and 2026’s “Number Twos” (42:47–55:32)

The Devil Wears Prada 2 Trailer

• Trailer hits: 2.8 million views in first 9 hours, now ~11 million (time of recording).
• “People want to see this movie, which is rare. Usually, people say, ‘Don’t mess with the legacy.’ That doesn’t seem to be the sentiment online.” (43:27)
• Meryl Streep is back (very rare, as she doesn’t usually do sequels).
• Based on the book Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns (2013).
• New and returning cast: Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci, plus Kenneth Branagh, Sydney Sweeney, Lucy Liu, BJ Novak, Lady Gaga (cameo).
• “None of these three leads need to do this movie right now…but I really think deep down Meryl still loves it… She still gets nominated for awards and that is what she does.” (47:45)

Memorable Trailer Line:

• “Hello. Well, look what TJ Maxx dragged in.” (45:15)

2026 “Number Two” Sequels Ranked

• Devil Wears Prada 2: “Right now, out of all the ones we've been talking about, I still think Devil Wears Prada is up there at the top.” (53:29)
• Mortal Kombat 2: “It is reintroducing Mortal Kombat to a new generation... so much less cheesy than the originals, but there’s still just something lacking.” (53:55)
• Fall 2, Violent Night 2, Practical Magic 2, Ready or Not 2:
  “Ready or Not 2: Here I Come. I think the first movie is highly underrated. …If it could somehow continue that same momentum from 2019, I have really high hopes.” (54:59)
• His Pick: “Out of all the twos, I'm going to say my favorite of all these and one that I will probably rate the highest is Going to be Ready or Not 2.” (55:20)

6. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Rachel McAdams’ role in Send Help:
  “She showed me so much that she understood this character and how to make you root for her, but also make you fearful of her.” (41:20)

• On the National Film Registry’s importance:
  “It has to be about that cultural relevance. …Preserve American culture for generations.” (03:04)

• On cultural relevancy and nostalgia:
  “It’s a movie that has had a long-lasting history and I think that's why we've seen people just swarm to watching this trailer online and creating a buzz about it.” (52:34)

• On how movies age:
  “I think Mean Girls is… a perfect movie from beginning to end. …Not only still relevant today, but will probably be relevant for another 20 or 30 years.” (27:52)

• Personal takeaway:
  “Life is not perfect. It's going to be messy... all those things underneath that have made you who you are... are going to be the things that connect you with other people.” (24:20, on Eternal Sunshine)

7. Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:14 — What is the National Film Registry?
• 03:45 — Reading this year’s 25 inducted films
• 05:44 — Movie Mike’s Top 10 Overlooked Films List
• 32:46 — Spoiler-free Review: Send Help
• 42:47 — Movie Mike’s Trailer Park: Devil Wears Prada 2
• 54:59 — Ranking 2026 “Number Twos”
• 56:10 — Listener shout-out & closing

8. Episode Tone & Style

Mike’s style is conversational, nostalgic, and enthusiastic, peppered with humor and personal memories. He balances deep analysis with relatable references and an easygoing passion for film.

9. For First-Time Listeners

If you grew up in the ‘90s or ‘00s, or just love revisiting cult hits and pop culture-defining movies, this episode is a treasure trove of beloved recommendations—plus fun, insightful takes on where cinema is heading next.