The ‘Twisters’ Hype Machine Crashes Back onto Peacock
Peacock is officially desperate for eyeballs this weekend, and they are pulling out the big guns to get them. The streamer is welcoming back Twisters, the blockbuster disaster flick that dominated the summer conversation—mostly because of the rampant speculation regarding the cast’s off-screen antics. After a brief, suspicious stint on Prime Video, the tornado thriller has returned to its original home, and insiders are whispering that the timing couldn’t be more calculated.
Let’s be real: nobody is watching this movie for the meteorology. They are watching for Glen Powell, the man who has seemingly replaced every other male lead in Hollywood overnight. The Top Gun: Maverick star’s chemistry with co-star Daisy Edgar-Jones was so electric during the press tour that it sparked a wildfire of rumors, forcing everyone involved to deny, deny, deny. Now, you can dissect every frame of their sweaty, storm-chasing tension from the comfort of your couch.
The film opens with a terrifying premise that feels eerily like Hollywood’s current state: an experiment gone wrong. Edgar-Jones plays Kate Carter, whose life implodes when a storm chasing stunt turns deadly. Years later, she is dragged back into the chaos by Javi, played by Anthony Ramos. But the real friction starts when they run into Powell’s character, Tyler Owens. He is a “storm-chasing influencer,” which is basically code for a clout-chasing adrenaline junkie with a YouTube channel.
The dynamic mirrors the real-life thirst for fame that plagues Los Angeles. Owens is using natural disasters for internet clout. Sound familiar? It is a savage critique of the influencer economy, wrapped in CGI wind and flying cows. Kate initially despises him—classic enemies-to-lovers setup—but eventually, they have to team up to stop the “biggest storm” ever seen. Spoiler alert: the real storm was the gossip columns tracking their every move during the premiere.
Glen Powell: Hollywood’s Ultimate Thirst Trap or PR Mastermind?
You cannot talk about Twisters without addressing the Glen Powell phenomenon. The man is everywhere, and his role as the reckless cowboy weather-nerd Tyler Owens is peak manipulation of the female gaze. Peacock knows exactly what they are doing by putting this front and center. The internet spent months debating whether his chemistry with Edgar-Jones was acting or something more illicit, especially considering his messy breakup headlines earlier in the year.
In the film, his character is accused of being in it for the fame, just “using tornadoes” to get likes. Critics have pointed out the irony: isn’t that exactly what Hollywood does? They take destructive forces and package them for consumption. Powell plays the role with a cocky swagger that borders on arrogant, but somehow, he charms the pants off the audience—and his co-star’s character.
“If Kate and Tyler don’t work together, then people are going to die.” That is the stakes. It is melodramatic, it is intense, and it is exactly the kind of high-octane distraction we need. But don’t be fooled by the heroics; the underlying tension between the leads is the only special effect that matters. Is it love? Is it lust? Or is it just really good PR training? You be the judge.
Clooney and Wahlberg: Profiting Off Tragedy?
If Twisters is the fun, flirty disaster movie, Peacock’s next offering is the dark, morbid underbelly of the genre. The Perfect Storm () has landed on the platform, and frankly, it is a grim reminder of how Hollywood loves to cash in on real-life death. Based on the true story of the Andrea Gail, a fishing vessel that vanished in , this film turns the horrific final moments of a real crew into a popcorn spectacle.
George Clooney stars as Captain Billy Tyne, a man desperate to break a losing streak. Mark Wahlberg plays Bobby Shatford. Both actors were at the peak of their “movie star” eras here, and the ego battles on set were reportedly legendary. We are talking about two alphas stuck on a boat, getting soaked by water cannons for months on end. It sounds like a nightmare shoot, and the result is a film that feels punishingly heavy.
The film depicts the crew heading out for one last haul, only to run into the “perfect storm”—a collision of two weather fronts that creates a monster hurricane. The CGI waves were groundbreaking in , but watching it in feels a bit like trauma porn. You are watching real people (played by millionaires) march toward their inevitable doom.
The ‘Cursed’ Production Rumors
Let’s not forget the legal drama that surrounded this film. The real-life families of the Andrea Gail crew were furious about how their loved ones were depicted. Lawsuits were filed. Accusations of “fictionalizing” the dead were thrown around. Hollywood didn’t care; the movie made millions. Now, Peacock is streaming it for your weekend entertainment.
Clooney and Wahlberg play the “tough guy” roles to perfection, but there is an unsettling feeling watching them struggle against the elements. It is a battle for survival that we know they lose. Unlike Twisters, where the heroes usually find a way out, The Perfect Storm is a relentless march toward the bottom of the ocean. It is well-made, sure, but it is also a glaring example of the industry’s willingness to turn a graveyard into a blockbuster.
Also starring John C. Reilly and William Fichtner, the cast is stacked with talent, but the cloud of the real tragedy hangs over every scene. If you are in the mood to watch George Clooney scream at waves while thinking about the ethics of biopic filmmaking, this is the pick for you.
‘Dog Days’: The Rom-Com That Career Nightmares Are Made Of
After the death and destruction of the first two picks, Peacock is throwing a curveball with Dog Days (). But don’t let the cute puppies fool you—this movie is a chaotic mess of fading stars and desperate ensemble casting. It is essentially Love Actually for people who prefer wet noses to actual plot.
The cast list reads like a “Who’s Who” of s tabloids. You have Nina Dobrev trying to shake off her Vampire Diaries typecasting as a TV host named Elizabeth. You have Vanessa Hudgens, fresh off her post-Disney identity crisis, playing a barista named Tara. And then you have Finn Wolfhard from Stranger Things, who seemingly got lost on his way to a better movie set.
The premise? A bunch of loosely connected people in Los Angeles whose lives intertwine because of their dogs. It is the kind of movie agents force their clients to do to fulfill a contract. The romantic sparks are supposedly flying between Dobrev and Tone Bell, but sources say the chemistry was lukewarm at best.
The Desperation of the Ensemble Cast
We need to talk about the “ensemble curse.” Whenever you see a movie poster with famous faces crammed onto it, run. Dog Days follows the blueprint of flops like New Year’s Eve and Mother’s Day. It relies on star power to cover up a thin script.
Eva Longoria and Rob Corddry are in there too, playing a married couple adopting a child. It is heartwarming, sure, but it feels calculated. This film is a time capsule of actors trying to stay relevant in a changing industry. Vanessa Hudgens is stuck in a love triangle with a shelter owner (Jon Bass) and a vet (Michael Cassidy). It is the kind of low-stakes drama that feels like a warm bath compared to the tsunami in The Perfect Storm, but it is equally disastrous in its own way.
Why watch it? To see a snapshot of Hollywood’s B-list hustling for a paycheck. Plus, the dogs are cute. Sometimes, that is all you need to distract yourself from the crumbling world outside.
The Verdict: Hate-Watch or Binge?
So, what is the play this weekend? Peacock has curated a lineup that swings wildly from sweaty, sexy disaster (Twisters) to depressing, watery graves (The Perfect Storm) to sugary sweet fluff (Dog Days). It is a schizophrenic playlist that reflects the chaos of the streaming wars.
If you want to feel the heat of the Glen Powell rumors, turn on Twisters. If you want to question the morality of the film industry, watch The Perfect Storm. And if you just want to turn your brain off and look at Golden Retrievers while judging Vanessa Hudgens’ wig, Dog Days is waiting for you.
Grab the popcorn, lock the doors, and get ready to stream the scandal.
