Hate Watching The Astronaut: The Twist Is Worth The Squeeze!

Send us Fan Mail The Astronaut (2025) spends a long time whispering “something is wrong” and then, in the final minutes, it starts yelling. We go full spoiler mode on this Kate Mara sci fi thriller and try to figure out how a movie can feel like nothing is happening while also setting up one of the most unhinged twist endings we have seen in a while. We talk craft the whole way through: what suspense is supposed to do, why thrillers need a steady climb of evidence, and how microbudget filmmaking can either feel inventive or like the movie is “vibing” its way past basic logic. Along the way we hit the weirdest choices, a remote house in the woods that no real space agency would use, surveillance tech that barely matters, and a family dynamic that seems engineered so the ending does not feel too cruel. We also get into the body horror tipping point, the cicada weirdness, and the moments where the film teases three different movies at once: alien infiltration, mental breakdown, and government conspiracy. Then we finally land on the twist and the actual plan, and it is so bold it makes us reconsider the whole ride. After that, we cool down with what we are watching and hating this week, from Love Island UK wins to trailer disappointments to Tony’s absolute fury at Dungeon Crawler Carl. Subscribe, share the show with a friend who loves messy sci fi, and leave a review with your verdict: does a great ending forgive a slow movie? Be our friend! Dan: @shakybacon Tony: @tonydczech And follow the podcast on IG: @hatewatchingDAT