This month, Sitting in the Dark smiles politely, locks the door, and then asks you to reconsider every coping mechanism you’ve ever trusted. Tommy Metz III is joined by filmmaker Chelsea Stardust and Pete Wright to excavate the uneasy trilogy formed by Smile, Smile 2, and the short-film patient zero, Laura Hasn’t Slept, all courtesy of writer-director Parker Finn—a man who looked at the concept of healing and said, “Yes, but what if absolutely not.”The conversation begins with Laura Hasn’t Slept, a short film so assured it feels like a résumé quietly slid across the table while maintaining unsettling eye contact. Therapy, dreams, and sleep deprivation collide in a space that should feel safe and instead feels like a trapdoor with a co-pay. The group wrestles with the idea that this story may not be a beginning at all, but a closed loop—what it looks like once the monster has already moved in and started redecorating.From there, the episode moves into Smile, a film that takes the metaphor of trauma and strips away subtlety. It’s tired of pretending this is going to end well. Broken promises pile up. Authority figures fail spectacularly. “Safe space” becomes an ironic term at best. The panel digs into the film’s clinical color palette, its fixation on mirrors, and its unrelenting thesis: awareness is not protection, healing is not guaranteed, and sometimes the best you can do is not make things worse for the next person.Then Smile 2 kicks the door off its hinges. By shifting the curse to a global pop star, the sequel swaps quiet dread for public spectacle without sacrificing cruelty. Addiction, celebrity, parasocial obsession, and relentless visibility all become accelerants, pushing the franchise into its most confident—and most punishing—form. Naomi Scott’s Skye Riley is surrounded by people at all times and still utterly alone, a neat trick the film performs while tightening the noose.Across all three entries, the episode circles the same bleak conclusion: these movies aren’t interested in defeating trauma. They’re interested in how efficiently it spreads, how convincingly it blends in, and how easily it convinces you that you’re doing just fine. Smile for the camera.🎬 Featured Films🍿 Tonight's Triple Feature:Laura Hasn’t Slept - Daily Motion | LetterboxdSmile - Apple TV | Amazon | LetterboxdSmile 2 - Apple TV | Amazon | Letterboxd📋 View Our List on Letterboxd(00:00) - Welcome to Sitting in the Dark(01:31) - All Smiles(04:43) - Laura Hasn't Slept(12:21) - Looking Out the Window(14:17) - SMILE 1(26:37) - Smile 1(27:09) - Smile 2(27:55) - Smile 3(28:15) - Smile 4(28:29) - Smile 5(28:51) - Smile 6(29:03) - Smile 7(41:43) - SMILE 2(51:43) - Smile 8(52:13) - Smile 10(52:33) - Smile 11(58:29) - HS 1(58:47) - HS 2(59:15) - Smile Necklace(59:51) - Smile Mug(01:00:47) - Smile 12(01:01:25) - Smile 13Support The Next Reel Family of Film Podcasts:Become a member for just $5/month or $55/yearJoin our Discord community of movie loversThe Next Reel Family of Film Podcasts:Cinema Scope: Bridging Genres, Subgenres, and MovementsThe Film BoardMovies We LikeThe Next Reel Film PodcastSitting in the DarkConnect With Us:Main Site: WebMovie Platforms: Letterboxd | FlickchartSocial Media: Facebook | Instagram | Threads | Bluesky | YouTube | PinterestYour Hosts: Kyle | Kynan | Pete | TommyShop & Stream:Merch Store: Apparel, stickers, mugs & moreWatch Page: Buy/rent films we've discussedOriginals: Source material from our episodesSpecial offers: Letterboxd Pro/Patron discount | Audible
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