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Host Manika sits down with critic Vicky Chen for a clear, spoiler-heavy audit of 2025’s boxing biopics. They open with The Smashing Machine and explain why it left them cold. Starting at Mark Kerr’s peak dulls the underdog arc, addiction is rushed, and the “gentle giant” framing keeps the character at arm’s length despite Dwayne Johnson’s transformation and Emily Blunt’s precision. They pivot to Sydney Sweeney’s Christy and dig into why this boxing vehicle sits far outside her current on-screen brand.

The conversation cuts through trailer promises and awards chatter to what audiences actually respond to in a star makeover and what gets mistaken for depth. They spotlight The Fire Inside and why Clarissa Shields’s story rises above the trend. The film’s focus on identity, sacrifice, and life after the medal gives the genre real stakes and a viewpoint that lasts longer than opening weekend buzz.

In Media Mania, Manika and Vicky break down studios hiring TikTok editors, the capture of fan edits, Radiohead’s edit-fueled chart return, and how engineered discourse shapes shows like The Summer I Turned Pretty. It is a sober look at algorithmic marketing, labor, and why fan culture cannot just be manufactured.

00:14 Manika welcomes film critic Vicky Chen and sets up a conversation on boxing biopics that will challenge recent hype and marketing narratives.

02:02 Media Mania begins as Manika spotlights studios recruiting TikTok editors and asks what this means for fan edits shaping taste and demand.

25:04 The Smashing Machine becomes the centerpiece as Manika outlines why sports biopics are surging and how physical transformation work is marketed as craft.

27:02 The discussion examines Dwayne Johnson’s Mark Kerr transformation and how aesthetic bulk differs from embodying an athlete’s movement and interiority.

01:12:37 The hosts break down Emily Blunt’s portrayal and the script’s treatment of her character, arguing the film frames her as unreasonable without enough context.

01:43:09 Christy enters the conversation as a Sydney Sweeney vehicle, with a frank assessment that the marketing swing outpaces the fit of her screen presence.

02:00:38 The episode widens to Sweeney’s brand strategy, contrasting star image with character immersion and why audiences still see the celebrity instead of the role.

02:10:47 The Fire Inside takes center stage with praise for its structure beyond the first gold medal and for Brian Tyree Henry’s warmth anchoring the drama.

02:11:42 Vicky explains how the film rejects easy uplift to show systemic barriers after victory and why that choice deepens the sports narrative.

02:13:51 Manika connects Clarissa Shields’ underdog arc to resilience and support gaps, arguing this biopic earns emotional payoff more honestly than recent studio fare.

02:32:50 The conversation returns to The Smashing Machine to underline where the script’s relationship beats feel underwritten and how biopics can confuse conflict with depth.

02:34:55 Watch List closes the show as Manika and Vicky trade film and TV picks that expand on the themes of craft, image, and audience expectation. Follow Vicky on TikTok! https://www.tiktok.com/@chickyvenManika's SocialsYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1CmokqeLIagz7nYQJfeRIwTiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@manika3000?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1Podcast SocialsYouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ivebeenmeaningtowatchthatp2316Twitter: https://twitter.com/BeenMeaning2PodTiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ivebeenmeaning2podFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ive-Been-Meaning-To-Watch-That-113280083760521/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ivebeenmeaning2/