Versus: The Competitive Movie Review Podcast · J & J

VERSUS: Ep. 17: It : Chapter 1 Vs. Black Phone

November 30, 2025·1 hr 33 min·5 clips

Jamie and Jessica open by admitting they have been gone for a while. They mention that the last episode was on September 12, and they are a little embarrassed about missing Halloween. They warn right away that the discussion will spoil both movies completely. The matchup is 2021's *Black Phone* versus 2017's *It*, with the first *It* movie only. The reason for the pairing is plain enough: both stories put kids in the path of something evil and supernatural. The show settles into its competitive review structure from there. They move through the setup fast and let the banter carry the rest. The conversation feels loose and immediate. A lot of it sounds like two friends working through the movie out loud. They bounce from one point to the next without much ceremony. The hosts are comfortable enough to interrupt themselves and correct each other as they go. They talk about production design, and *Black Phone* gets a lot of attention there. The dog in the movie turns into a running joke. They notice its eyes, its shine, and how healthy it looks. The van gets the same treatment because it seems almost too clean. That leads them into a side discussion about where the movie was filmed. They first assume Toronto, then correct that and land on North Carolina. They also note that the sets are really nice and the lighting works well. The whole thing keeps shifting between actual criticism and side commentary. That is the point, though. The episode is built as a battle, and the battle gives them room to score cast, story, production design, and overall enjoyability while still wandering wherever the joke leads.

As heard by us

Spoiler-heavy horror banter with easy chemistry and a few welcome detours.

Jamie and Jessica return to Versus after some time away, and the setup is still simple in a good way: Black Phone from 2021 goes up against It from 2017, chapter one only, with the spoiler warning out front.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

For when you want Jamie and Jessica's spoiler-heavy Black Phone vs. It: Chapter One throwdown.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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