New films “Maddie’s Secret” and “Saccharine and melodramatic comedy” explore appetite, weight anxiety, and supernatural horror elements

Two new films now drawing attention from critics are approaching disordered eating from angles that mix psychological pressure with genre elements, according to a review published June 22 by The Guardian. In the write-up, “Maddie’s Secret” is described as a melodramatic comedy, while another title referenced, “Saccharine,” is framed as a supernatural horror film. The review connects both projects to what it characterizes as cultural appetites for stories about weight and food control.

The Guardian says “Saccharine” follows first-year medical student Hana Hitching, played by Midori Francis, who is shown considering how she could “drop down to her ideal weight.” The article characterizes her situation as centering on body-image anxieties, and it describes the film’s structure as moving between binge eating and regimented workout routines.

In the same review, The Guardian describes “Saccharine” as soundtracked by what it calls a rumbling stomach, pairing the body-image premise with visceral, sensory cues. The piece also references unsettling imagery including “human ash” and “a tapeworm,” elements it uses to describe a supernatural approach to appetite and self-monitoring.

The review’s account of “Maddie’s Secret” frames that film as a melodramatic comedy, though it does not provide extensive plot specifics in the supplied text beyond the broader theme pairing. Taken together, the review argues the films represent a “new kind” of disordered-eating storytelling in which food, exercise, and appearance anxiety are treated as narrative engines rather than background context.

For viewers and families, the approach raises questions about how entertainment can represent eating-disorder themes without turning them into sensational content. The Guardian’s treatment emphasizes the duality of the films’ tone, with horror and humor employed to keep attention on the body and appetite pressures the characters face.

Because the supplied material is based on a single publication’s review and contains limited release details, the timing of wider screenings, distribution platforms, and any content advisories are not confirmed in the packet provided here. The next steps for audiences seeking practical information would be to check the films’ official studio or distributor pages and any published ratings and viewer warnings before deciding whether to watch.

At minimum, the review adds to a broader media conversation about how Hollywood and streaming-era storytelling has become more willing to center health-adjacent anxieties, including weight control behaviors, as plot drivers. In this case, the Guardian’s framing indicates that at least two June releases are using genre and melodrama to put appetite and body surveillance at the center of the screen.

As of June 22, The Guardian report is the only detailed source included in the record for this story. It describes the films’ thematic aims and specific character framing for “Saccharine,” but does not supply additional documentation such as production statements, ratings board outcomes, or distributor release schedules in the provided evidence.