The Bobby Bones Show: Movie Mike’s Movie Podcast

Episode: The 2025 Mikey Awards + Is Avatar: Fire and Ash Worth 3 Hours and 15 mins? + Trailer Park: The Drama
Date: December 27, 2025
Host: Movie Mike, with co-host Kelsey

Episode Overview

This episode is a lively, end-of-year celebration as Movie Mike hosts the first ever Mikey Awards honoring the best (and some worst) of movies in 2025. Alongside co-host and wife Kelsey, Mike sweeps through inventive and fun categories before delivering an in-depth, spoiler-free review of "Avatar: Fire and Ash." The show wraps with an exploration of the trailer for the upcoming film "The Drama" starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, breaking down what’s coming up for both actors.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The First Ever Mikey Awards (Awards Segment)

[03:31–31:20]

• Concept: Mike debuts his own movie awards with tongue-in-cheek and heartfelt categories, ranging from "Best Pop Culture Moment" to the more traditional acting and directing accolades.
• Format: The segment blends fun couple banter, nostalgia, movie theater rituals, and commentary on industry trends, as well as genuine appreciation for the year's cinematic achievements.

Notable Categories, Winners, & Runners-Up

• Best Theater Experience:

  • Winner: Weapons
    • Chosen for the shared experience and energy in the theater.
    • Quote (05:59): “When I look back on my best experiences of the year, that was it... There were moments that everybody kind of gasped at once.” — Movie Mike

• Biggest Disappointment:

  • Winner: The Smashing Machine

    • Boring, underwhelming, and failed to utilize The Rock’s potential.
    • Quote (06:44): “It was so, so boring. I was just waiting for that movie to really hit, for there to be that one moment…” — Movie Mike

  • Runner-up: I Know What You Did Last Summer (nostalgia bait, didn’t deliver)

• Best Pop Culture Moment:

  • Winner: Minecraft’s Chicken Jockey Scene

    • Viral, organic TikTok meme moment.
    • Quote (07:52): "Chicken Jockey is equivalent to 6, 7 to me. And that I don’t understand either one of them." — Kelsey

  • Runner-up: Weapons Running Kid meme

• Best Action Scene:

  • Winner: Chase scene in One Battle After Another
    • Praised for intensity and immersive cinematography.
    • Quote (11:03): "Just visually, it created this... Even though you’re watching a 2D screen, it felt like I was fully in that moment." — Movie Mike

• Committing to the Bit:

  • Winner: Emma Stone (Begonia)
    • Shaved her head on camera for the role.
    • Quote (11:30): “Can you imagine shaving your head for a movie? ... That is next level.” — Movie Mike

• Most Overhated Movie:

  • Winner: The Electric State (Netflix, Millie Bobby Brown & Chris Pratt)
    • Discussed how online hate and bot activity may stifle fair impressions.
    • Conversation extended into digital culture, review bombing, and manufactured narratives.

• Best Shot of the Year:

  • Winner: Flames scene in Sinners (Michael B. Jordan, Miles Canton)

• Best Animal:

  • Winner: Indy, the dog from A Good Boy

• Biggest Cash Grab:

  • Winner: Taylor Swift: The Official Party Life of a Showgirl
    • Noted for endless merch variants and high ticket merchandising.
    • Quote (21:35): “Sometimes I like to call her my capitalist queen.” — Kelsey

• Best Popcorn Bucket:

  • Winner: Stitch from Lilo & Stitch (Regal exclusive)

Main Acting Categories

• Best Supporting Actor:

  • Winner: Benicio del Toro (One Battle After Another)
  • Runner-up: Jacob Elordi (Frankenstein)

• Best Supporting Actress:

  • Winner: Chase Infinity (One Battle After Another)
  • Runner-up: Emily Blunt (The Smashing Machine)

• Best Actor:

  • Winner: Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another)

    • Both hosts praise DiCaprio for finally deserving an Oscar for this performance.
    • Quote (26:33): “I hope he wins an Oscar for this...I think he deserves an Oscar for this.” — Kelsey

  • Runner-up: Michael B. Jordan (Sinners, played dual roles)

• Best Actress:

  • Winner: Emma Stone (Begonia)
  • Runner-up: Jessie Buckley (Hamnet)

• Best Director:

  • Winner: Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another)
  • Runner-up: Zach Kreger (Weapons)

• Best Directorial Debut:

  • Winner: Eva Victor (Sorry Baby)
  • Runner-up: James Sweeney (Twin Lists)

Memorable Banter & Quotes

• “Do you think listeners know how weird you are?” — Kelsey teases Movie Mike over his at-home reenactments of viral memes. [10:25]
• On digital marketing manipulation:
  “We’re all being lied to. ... It’s like digital manipulation and marketing.” — Kelsey [16:24]
• On creativity:
  “If you really break down what a movie is about, there are only so many ways to tell a story... The basis of those stories are kind of the same. The chosen one.” — Movie Mike [18:00]

In-Depth: Avatar: Fire and Ash Review

[35:25–46:34]

• Is it Worth the Run Time? Mike reviews the third Avatar installment after experiencing its 3 hour and 15 minute runtime, searching for both positives and negatives.
• Theatrical Experience: Strongly advocates for seeing it in theaters; praised the immersive visuals.
  • Quote (36:40): “If you do not see this movie in theaters, you are not seeing it in the right way. I was so blown away at the opening sequence…so immersive.”
• Technical Innovations:
  • “It was the first time I’ve truly felt and seen and witnessed all that movie budget used on screen.” — Movie Mike [37:59]
• Story Issues:
  • Found the second half repetitive and flat, noting the plot is a retread; character motivations thin, particularly compared to earlier films.
  • “If this movie would have been two hours long, I would have left completely satisfied…about the two hour mark, it just started to become a little bit repetitive. I started to lose interest in some of these characters.” — Movie Mike [42:47]
• Final Assessment:
  • Rating: 3.5 out of 5 fire arrows.
  • Mike admires the spectacle but is underwhelmed by storytelling, suspects James Cameron is now more interested in tech than narrative.
  • Memorable Analogy (45:25): “It’s almost like if you go to dinner, you get a really great dish. That first bite you take is amazing. But if you have this giant platter of it that is three hours long, you’re eventually going to get tired of that taste.”

Movie Mike’s Trailer Park: “The Drama” (Robert Pattinson & Zendaya)

[50:07–60:48]

• Film Details:
  • The Drama stars Zendaya and Robert Pattinson as a newly engaged couple whose relationship is shaken by a dark secret.
  • Directed by Christopher Borgli (Dream Scenario).
• Trailer Breakdown:
  • Described as a "romantic comedy,” but Mike and Kelsey agree it feels more like a dramatic thriller with possible dark twists.
  • Key trailer moment: Tense, awkward photoshoot scene where the tension between the couple is palpable.
  • Quote (52:26): “Let’s do a little warm up so we’re feeling revved up and comfortable for your wedding day.” — Kelsey (reading from trailer)
• Speculation:
  • The couple’s dynamic has potential for real intensity; Mike wonders if Pattinson’s character is a psycho killer, or if there’s just a major secret.
  • Noted that the third act “looks like the most chaotic moment of this movie is going to come in the third act when they actually get married.” — Movie Mike [52:56]
• Upcoming Careers:
  • Both Zendaya and Pattinson have massive 2026 slates (upcoming “Odyssey” by Christopher Nolan, “Dune: Part 3,” new Spider-Man, new Batman—and more).
  • Mike praises their range and the old-school Hollywood mysteriousness Zendaya maintains by being relatively private.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Emma Stone’s Head Shave (Begonia) [11:30]:
  Movie Mike: “Can you imagine shaving your head for a movie? And what you actually see in Begonia is the moment that she shaved her head.”
• On Online Reviews & Bots (Electric State) [14:22]:
  Kelsey: “Do you think that's kind of like this? Like a couple people say it's terrible and then that narrative just spreads?” Movie Mike: "Yes. I have a theory...competing studios do this to downplay other movies and get the negative press."
• On Video-First Filmmaking (Avatar) [45:25]:
  Movie Mike: “If I sold TVs for a living, on every TV screen in my store, I would be playing Avatar: Fire and Ash...this is the way you sell a TV.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Start | End | |-------------------------------------|-----------|-----------| | Mikey Awards Begin | 03:24 | ~31:20 | | Avatar: Fire and Ash Review | 35:25 | 46:34 | | Movie Mike’s Trailer Park: The Drama| 50:07 | 60:48 | | Listener Shout-Out & Outro | 60:53 | 63:12 |

Tone and Style

The episode is conversational, witty, and packed with playful couple energy. Mike is earnest in his film analysis but never takes himself too seriously, and Kelsey injects humor, pop culture savvy, and good-natured ribbing throughout. The mix of serious insight and lighthearted fun makes the content accessible and engaging to movie buffs and casual listeners alike.

Summary:

This was an especially entertaining and content-packed episode, perfect for anyone wanting to catch up on 2025’s movie trends, the state of blockbuster cinema, and the upcoming projects of Hollywood’s most in-demand stars. Mike and Kelsey’s perspectives, industry observations, and behind-the-scenes banter ensure that even listeners who missed this year’s films come away feeling informed, amused, and maybe a little nostalgic for a really great night at the movies.