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Bitesize Breakdown features film & series reviews, interviews, rankings, and more from a diverse, global collective of entertainment writers! NEW REVIEWS FILMS SERIES SPOTLIGHT READ READ READ

SWEETNESS Starring: Kate Hallett, Herman Tømmeraas, Aya Furukawa, Justin Chatwin, Amanda Brugel, and Steven Ogg Director: Emma Higgins This film has been reviewed by Nick and Bode as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2025 Fantasia International Film Festival. NICK For a film completely off my radar, Sweetness is easily one the biggest surprises of Fantasia this year. This is a great exploration of the way people connect to artists through trauma and how that connection can turn into obsession. Kate Hallett is great as the often delusional but always tragic Rylee; however, it's the avalanche of the story that really locked me into this one. As things would spiral out of control, I would become further immersed. Other than a slight disconnect regarding the ending which affected my rating, I thoroughly enjoyed this one. BODE 2025 has seen some films try to stake their claim as Misery for a new generation, with Hurry Up Tomorrow recently putting a pop star spin on that formula (particularly in its third act). But while that Weeknd vehicle failed in achieving that goal, Sweetness comes along and manages to do the opposite. Writer-director Emma Higgins gives this tale of obsession a truly sour spin, ratcheting up the intensity and uneasiness at nearly every turn. It’s only made more effective by Kate Hallett’s remarkably grounded performance, bringing layers to an ultimately tragic protagonist. Definitely a highlight at Fantasia.

Bitesize Breakdown features film & series reviews, interviews, rankings, and more from a diverse, global collective of entertainment writers! NEW REVIEWS FILMS TV SPOTLIGHT READ READ READ

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HAPPY GILMORE 2 Starring: Adam Sandler, Julie Bowen, Christopher McDonald, Benny Safdie, Maxwell Jacob Friedman, Philip Schneider, Ethan Cutkosky, Conor Sherry, Sunny Sandler, John Daly, Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, Haley Joel Osment, and Ben Stiller Director: Kyle Newacheck NICK It’s no surprise that Adam Sandler (known for featuring his friends and family in his films) can still bring sincerity into his trademark comedies. But Happy Gilmore 2 is infused with more heart than we’ve seen from him since the underrated Click , nearly 20 years ago. Unfortunately, some of the other “mores” don’t work as well. The film is far more vibrant than the original, to the point it sticks out, and there are just too many cameos. Yes some hit, but they’re unnecessary since the core themes surrounding family and the love letter to golf are all that’s needed to make this one work. ROBERT If you had all the money in the world and could give jobs to your wife, kids, and all your friends and their family, wouldn’t you? Watching Happy Gilmore 2 , that is what I imagine was the impetus for its existence. Previous Sandler comedies were always quirky and goofy with outlandish characters, but they were buoyed by a modicum of heart and likeability, and this film sorely lacked that tether. It mostly felt like meeting contractual Netflix obligations with a hint of nostalgia; even Ted Sarandos’ daughter is in it. A funny joke will land here and there, but this is the definition of superfluous. AMARÚ Maybe it’s a win to say there are small victories in Happy Gilmore 2 , starting with the clear joy everybody and their momma had making this legacy sequel. And when I say everybody, I mean EVERYBODY is in this movie. That joy manifested some chuckles out of the hundreds of call backs and cameos. But those tiny positives barely dragged me to the end of a movie with a horrible inciting incident, tons of unfunny end-of-scene stingers, and head-scratching goofball scenarios. So is it worse when Sandler films are outright bad, or when there’s heart and misplaced hope amongst the trash? You decide that one. QUENTIN All things considered, including the overall quality of Adam Sandler’s direct-to-Netflix catalog and the typical success (or lack thereof) of decades-later sequels to classics that no one really asked for, Happy Gilmore 2 is about as good as it could be. Yeah, it’s little more than a forced, nostalgia-driven cameo parade of callbacks (complete with clips to remind you exactly what they are calling back too), but for those of us who saw the original in our formative teen years, there is enough heart to carry the day (or at least two hours, anyway) and enough charm to let one overlook the very obvious flaws. KATIE I don’t relish writing this as someone who really likes Happy Gilmore and Adam Sandler’s earlier comedies in general, but Happy Gilmore 2 may be one of the worst films I’ve ever seen. Aside from the mind-numbingly stupid story, terrible dialogue, and the fact it's offensively unfunny, the worst thing is that it’s just soulless. It lacks anything that would suggest anyone who made it cared about anything other than making money in the laziest way possible, and the reliance on nostalgia and onslaught of cameos only adds insult to injury. I wish it were better, but it just didn’t work for me.

WASHINGTON BLACK Starring: Sterling K. Brown, Rupert Graves, Tom Ellis, Ernest Kingsley Junior, Eddie Karanja, Iola Evans, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, and Billy Boyd Creator: Selwyn Seyfu Hinds AMARÚ Washington Black is a tonal whiplash of a series, with a stacked cast of dedicated actors (I especially enjoyed a villainous turn from Billy Boyd) who kept me engaged even through a key plot line that played more like an after-school special. The sincerity and maturity in which it tackles very serious topics often surprised me given that those violent conflicts are usually juxtaposed to Amblin-like interactions the title character would have throughout his adventures. Each of these new players is just as flawed and contradictory, but kept me on the hook throughout a tale that’s constantly inconsistent, yet consistently interesting.

THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS Starring: Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Julia Garner, and Ralph Ineson Director: Matt Shakman NICK The Fantastic Four have always been a bigger deal in the comics than film, but Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Joseph Quinn are here to change that. This cast brings new light and tremendous chemistry to the MCU as the definitive version of Marvel's first family. The visuals are on point - especially when the team uses their powers, which is smartly never overdone. Also, if I’m being honest, although the heavy focus on the themes of parenthood, companionship, and purpose masks a fairly simple story, it was just nice living in a world in peril with no Avengers to save it. AMARÚ First Steps blazes a breakneck pace, and ironically, it’s a beautifully turbulent second act action sequence that settles it into its heartfelt story. Marvel’s first family is introduced with a TV special cold open that never transitions out of montage-like editing, even after the special presentation ends. So many real-time scenes leave out crucial lived-in seconds between cuts, and make it hard to fully breathe in their lovely chemistry. Don’t worry, we finally have our family, as the foursome is portrayed magnificently grounded, especially an emotionally resonant Vanessa Kirby. But director Matt Shakman let down a fantastic film with his poor cutting room decisions. QUENTIN I’ll do my best not to make the obvious pun, but First Steps is the best “solo” MCU movie since Ragnarok . I base that on two main drivers: 1. the 60s retro-futuristic production design does a lot of heavy lifting, as it makes for perhaps the freshest experience of the entire MCU; and 2. I never read Fantastic Four comics, so it’s the first superhero movie, Marvel or otherwise, in a long while that created genuine suspense since I didn’t know exactly where the story was headed. Couple that with excellent casting and little-to-no fat in the script, and you’ve got something…uh…fantastic. Damn, almost made it. ROBERT People always complained that the Fantastic Four was a comic property not built for a live-action adaptation because the team was too weird. I mean, I ride for the Tim Story iterations, but they aren’t “good” by any stretch. However, Matt Shakman and Kevin Feige put forth a gorgeous effort with First Steps as it is visually breathtaking and emotionally grounded in the inner machinations of a family with cosmic abilities. Even at its cheesiest or most outrageous, I was never phased because the personal dynamics of the four leads were so strong, and the cool factor of our villains never waned. I cannot wait for their addition to the Avengers at large, or for another team endeavor. KATIE I found watching The Fantastic Four: First Steps to be a fruitless experience. The retrofuturistic style is fun, but it is overshadowed by the distracting CGI, which makes it murky and dulls the vibrancy overall. It lacks any tension, which I wouldn't have minded if the characters were compelling, the visuals were appealing, or the cast had any chemistry. At this point, I don’t know if I can truly enjoy Marvel films anymore, since I’m always aware that characters will return in future installments in the franchise, so it feels like they don’t even attempt to build suspense. ADRIANO As the resident Marvel detractor, I have mixed feelings about The Fantastic Four: First Steps , but I lean positive. The four main actors (Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach) are great, and the retro aesthetic is visually pleasing. Yet right after a visually remarkable sequence, I noticed it all started to feel narratively chopped up. Plot lines and character beats set up in the first half were rushed to an unfulfilling conclusion, making it all feel like a wash. When it finished, despite some good elements sticking out, this was a case of been there, done that.

DOG ON TRIAL Starring: Laetitia Dosch, Anne Dorval, Jean-Pascal Zadi, Pierre Deladonchamps, François Damiens, Mathieu Demy, and Tom Fiszelson Director: Laetitia Dosch QUENTIN When one talks about finding hidden gems at film festivals, Dog on Trial is a perfect example. A movie that, on its surface, appears to be light and goofy (which it is) also works as a terrific metaphor for how society sees women, as well as a more straight-forward look at animal rights. Though almost never preachy, it explores the nature of the legal system, societal constructs, and humanity in humorous yet thought-provoking ways. It’s absurd and whimsical, but also deeply philosophical and observant. Plus, who doesn’t love a Movie Dog? KATIE Dog on Trial is a peculiar, absurd, but strangely thought-provoking film, exploring the patriarchal oppression of women, the treatment of animals, and the nature of justice in the most eccentric way. The premise of the film, an optimistic lawyer dedicated to helping hopeless cases defending a dog accused of biting in court, is far more irreverent than it sounds, and I really enjoyed the abrupt tone and oddly endearing characters. The plot is too busy for its short runtime, but ultimately, it's hard to resist the charm of Cosmo the dog’s adorable performance, and I think it's fair to call it that. This film was reviewed by Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.

Previous Next July 25, 2025 FEATURING: THE BITESIZE CREW Welcome to A Bigger Bite, the podcast series where we take a deeper dive into some of our favourite films and series of the year (spoilers included). Marvel's first family has finally entered the MCU. Here's our thoughts on The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

OH, HI Starring: Molly Gordon, Logan Lerman, Geraldine Viswanathan, John Reynolds, and David Cross Director: Sophie Brooks KATIE Oh, Hi! is a charming rom-com with a hilariously dark twist. Starting as a dreamy romance, it takes an unexpected turn that works a lot better than I expected. It doesn’t waste a minute of its tight 94-minute runtime, all of the jokes land, and it's consistently funny. Logan Lerman is great and effectively supports Molly Gordon’s hilarious and heartfelt performance, and the pair have convincing chemistry. One of my few criticisms, and it isn't the film’s fault, is that I wish I hadn’t watched the trailer, as it would be even better to be surprised by it. AMARÚ Oh, Hi! is exhibit-A that the current state of movie trailers needs to revert back to not giving away too much. Going in blind had me locked into this seemingly straightforward two-hander between Logan Lerman and Molly Gordon, waiting for what would happen next. Their chemistry is natural, and the comedy, while not always laugh-out-loud funny, highlights the leads’ likability. And when shit keeps unraveling, the strength of their understated charm makes the exaggerated relationship conflicts much more relatable. This film gets weird, and edges toward shark-jumping, but the comedy-of-errors keeps the story amusingly in check. NICK Don’t get me wrong, the crazy ex-girlfriend story can be a good watch, especially when the whole thing takes place in relative real time, but I wanted to have more fun with Oh, Hi! Although Molly Gordon gives a committed performance as Iris and is tasked with carrying the majority of the film, the humour didn’t match the absurdity of the situation. Admittedly, my opinion is skewed because I just watched a very similar film, albeit with a different tone, but the wacky vibe this thing was going for just wasn’t realized for me. This started strong but just couldn’t keep its momentum. BODE It seems cliché to call Oh, Hi! a rom-com riff on Misery , but co-writer/director Sophie Brooks invites the comparison at almost every turn, right down to Molly Gordon’s charmingly unhinged performance (which owes a bit to Kathy Bates, via her own admission). And though it tries to use that framework to comment on the contradictions of modern dating, the approach feels rather one-note, and strangely lacking in momentum. It has some moments of wit, and the cast is animated enough. Overall though, I get the feeling Oh, Hi! might’ve benefitted more as a short rather than a full-length feature.