Does Hugh Grant know about Jar Jar Binks? That’s probably not a question you’ve ever considered before, but as I click the Zoom link and prepare to interview Scott Beck and Bryan Woods about their new film, Heretic, it’s at the top of my list of topics to discuss — right after diving into the filmmaking duo’s religious upbringing.

Believe it or not, both Star Wars and religion both play a pivotal role in A24’s latest psychological thriller from Beck and Woods (best known for creating the Quiet Place franchise). Heretic stars Hugh Grant as Mr. Reed, an obsessive religious scholar who lures two young Mormon missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) into a trap and attempts to convert them to his radical beliefs. Throughout its 110-minute runtime, the film grapples with everything from the origins of monotheism to whether future archeologists will think we prayed to Jar Jar Binks as a god.

In conversations with Beck, Woods, Thatcher, and East (Grant was unavailable for interview), the team behind Heretic reveal how they all came at the film from a very personal perspective, and how the experience forced them to reckon with their own religious beliefs in one way or another.

After helping out the poor villagers of Rumbla Island, Mario and Luigi breathe a sigh of relief. The light above a large tree shines brightly and melodic piano music plays. The scene feels poetic and solemn, like the ending to a great movie. Little did I know I was still in the very first hours of a game that took me dozens to complete. I would soon have to repeatedly save an expansive set of islands, rewatching the light shine above the tree each time.

In Mario & Luigi: Brothership, our favorite mustachioed heroes vow to save a world called Concordia by connecting its many islands to each other. Doing so means they must embark on an arduous sea voyage (and rescue Princess Peach, of course). Their hard work is actively being thwarted by goons called the Extension Corps, led by their foggy-headed leader, Zokket, who wants to make the world a lonelier place. And as predicted, Bowser sticks his head in their business, too.

Bringing classic RPG elements with more robust animation and fresh writing, Mario & Luigi: Brothership is a meaty feast for the eyes. It clearly has a lot of heart, too, especially for a game meant for kids. I was excited to see the all-new original story and where it would take the brothers, but Brothership doesn’t hit its stride until 20 hours in — and even then, its story beats are largely predictable.