Hey there, Destructoid, and welcome to a new week where we get to discuss what we've been enjoying recently. I recently caught Freakier Friday in theaters, and spotting a certain actor in this project got me reminiscing and missing The Acolyte.
Freakier Friday was a really unexpected pleasant surprise, and back when I watched The Acolyte, I had a similar feeling about it. We're talking about two vastly different worlds here, but they've got quite a lot in common, including body-swapping hijinks, a stellar cast, and being unexpected delights.
First up, let's get into Freakier Friday, the successor to the 2003 film Freaky Friday. The original was a staple in my household growing up, and a movie I really cherish from my childhood. Going into watching the sequel, I wasn't expecting much, but I actually might like the new one even more than the original.
The humor is off the charts in this sequel. Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan are funnier than ever, and although the chemistry between them is the driving force for the entire film, all of the new faces really add to it as well. There's plenty to love if you're a fan of the original, but it also stands on its own if you haven't seen it.
Anna and Tess, played by Lohan and Curtis, find themselves in another body swap situation, but this time, it's with Anna's daughter and future stepdaughter. Anna becomes Harper, her own daughter, while Tess becomes Lily, her future granddaughter. This means both Lohan and Curtis are teens trapped in adult bodies, while the kids are adults trapped in teen bodies, making for even more chaos and comedy than the original.
Like its predecessor, this film is a beautiful balance of humor and heart that had me laughing so hard I had tears in my eyes one minute, then got genuinely teary-eyed at an emotional moment the next. It's beautifully nostalgic and such a fun watch from start to finish, and if you're looking for a good laugh mixed with some powerful messages about family, it's a film worth watching.
Manny Jacinto plays Eric, the love interest for Lindsay Lohan's Anna in Freakier Friday. He's also Qimir/The Stranger in The Acolyte, and this is the first project I've seen him in since. He plays polar opposite characters in these two, and is quite a scene stealer in both, so I hope to see more of him soon. If it were up to me, we'd be getting more of him in The Acolyte, the cancellation of which I'm still mourning.
I grew up on Star Wars and kept up with just every project to date, with a few small exceptions. I wasn't really captured by the trailers for The Acolyte, but when it started airing weekly back on June 4, 2024, I tuned in every week, completely captivated and eager to learn what would happen next.
The Acolyte felt like a breath of fresh air for the Star Wars universe. I'm someone who has enjoyed just about every project, even the ones that are considered bad, but there are certainly some I'm not as eager to revisit, like the main Star Wars film sequel series. My favorites are projects like Star Wars Rebels, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and The Mandalorian.
Star Wars works best for me when it dares to be different and leans into the weirdness of what it is, and The Acolyte is exactly that, so I really don't get the hate for it or how it ended up getting cancelled. Each week, The Acolyte had me on the edge of my seat, trying to unravel the mystery and put the pieces together. It had some of the coolest visuals of any Star Wars project, including some of the most stunning lightsaber battles we've ever seen and easily one of the coolest-looking Sith costumes.
All of the characters in this series were incredibly complex, redefining what heroes and villains look like in a franchise that generally spotlights simple, straightforward, easy-to-root-for good guys. It expanded on what's canon in a beautiful, engaging way, with the ending promising more had the show been greenlit to move forward. It's been over a year since it ended, and it was confirmed canceled back in August 2024, yet I'm still thinking about it anytime I think of my favorite parts of Star Wars.
The Acolyte was bold, brave, and beautiful in a way no other project in this universe has been, and it's cemented itself as one of my favorites because of this. I will forever wonder what happened next to Qimir, Osha, and Mae, and mourn the lost opportunity to finally learn more about Darth Plagueis.
So, Destructoid, what about you? Have you watched Freakier Friday yet, or do you plan to? And did you ever check out The Acolyte, and if so, what's your take on it? Is there anything else you've been enjoying watching recently? Let us know down in the comments so we can discuss.
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