Midsommar with Marianna Barksdale

Comedian and full-time May Queen Marianna Barksdale returns to Movie Wars to break down one of her all-time favorite films: Midsommar. And yes, we’re releasing this on the actual Midsummer holiday — because we love a good ritual.We dive deep into Ari Aster’s sun-drenched horror masterpiece — grief, gaslighting, mushrooms, and messed-up relationships all included. Marianna shares why Midsommar hits her on such a personal level, and we debate whether Christian is truly a bad boyfriend or just a 24-year-old idiot. This episode mixes hilarity, honesty, and film nerdery like only Movie Wars can.Fair warning: if your relationship is hanging by a thread, don’t book a trip to rural Sweden. Just listen to this episode instead.🎧 Show Notes & Time Markers00:00 — Intro & why we dropped this episode on Midsummer02:00 — Marianna's Midsommar obsession and her desk tchotchkes04:00 — Ari Aster’s unique brand of horror and first-time reactions07:00 — The most accurate mushroom visuals ever put on screen10:00 — Symbolism, flower dresses, and personal Easter eggs14:00 — Was Christian actually a bad boyfriend? A surprisingly deep debate20:00 — Grief, trauma, and emotional immaturity in the characters26:00 — Was it all orchestrated? Could they ever have left the commune?28:00 — The ritual’s logic and the unsettling beauty of sacrifice