TENZING Starring: Genden Phuntsok, Caitríona Balfe, Tom Hiddleston, Willem Dafoe, Tenzin Dalha, Samdrup Dorje Lama, and Thinley Lhamo Director: Jennifer Peedom NICK Tenzing Norgay is a name you may be aware of without knowing the whole story. Bringing that story to the forefront is what director Jennifer Peedom does with Tenzing . As expected with a film about climbing Mount Everest, the visuals are vast and impressive, but it's the focus on Tenzing's (Genden Phuntsok) origins, drive, and personal connection to the mountain that are the heart of this film. It’s a surprisingly moving story of determination and perseverance that ended up being one of my biggest TIFF surprises. QUENTIN For better or worse, Tenzing feels like a biopic from the 90s. It doesn’t want to do much more than entertain…and, hey, if you happen to learn something along the way, all the better. It lightly touches on the racial and cultural hurdles that Tenzing Norgay (a committed Genden Phuntsok in his first English-speaking role) faced, but never with the weight or resonance they deserve. The film also fails to convey the true risks involved with climbing Everest, and Tom Hiddleston isn’t given much to do, either. But these are nitpicks, and while I could continue nitpicking, Tenzing remains an easy-going yet forgettable, crowd-pleaser. AMARÚ Tenzing is a really solid, crowd-pleasing movie. It’s full of heart carried by the amazing trio of Genden Phuntsok, Tenzin Dalha, and Samdrup Dorje Lama, who play Tenzing Norgay throughout his life. Dalha especially brought a light that made the telling of Tenzing’s life story more interesting than the Mount Everest climb. But that ultimately enhanced the characters’ journey and the film overall, which overcame some shallow cultural conflicts to center on the importance of life, purpose, and the spiritual connection to everything around us. Three-point-five reels for the film, plus another half for the heart. This film was reviewed by Nick and Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival and the 2026 Zurich Film Festival, respectively.

Consensus Top 5 lists from our team of writers ranking a variety of items from the world of film & television. TOP FIVE READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ

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

A Bitesize chat with a variety of people from the entertainment industry. INTERVIEWS READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ

VIDEOS WATCH WATCH WATCH WATCH WATCH WATCH WATCH WATCH WATCH WATCH WATCH WATCH WATCH WATCH WATCH WATCH WATCH WATCH WATCH WATCH WATCH WATCH WATCH WATCH WATCH

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

Editorials on a wide array of subjects that take a deeper dive into the films & series we love. FEATURES READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ

Previous October 16, 2026 Next A BITESIZE CHAT WITH JENNIFER PEEDOM Director Jennifer Peedom joins Nick to talk about her latest film, Tenzing . She discusses the transition from documentarian to narrative director, her professional love story with Mount Everest, whether that relationship ends here. Make sure to check out Tenzing now in theatres. Interview conducted on October 8th, 2026 by Nick van Dinther.

Previous Next October 16, 2026 WRITTEN BY: QUENTIN After four years of attending Zurich Film Festival — the past two years as official press — it remains my favorite film festival because of its location on the Limmat, unparalleled access, unpretentious vibes, and, obviously, its collection of movies. However, I have to say, this year wasn’t quite as good as last year. I don’t want to comment on the quality of films or the stars present, as everything on that front was generally the same, even if, perhaps, some personal preferences lean more one way than the other. The biggest disappointment was that, for whatever reason, the film programmers decided not to show most of the international films with English subtitles this year. That means, right off the bat, I had to scratch at least 10 movies from my slate. I saw 35 movies last year. This year? Only 25. I lost notable titles, too! Just to name a few: Hope , South Korea’s sci-fi monster epic; La Bola Negra , which won Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calbo the Best Director award at Cannes; and Bunker , starring Penélope Cruz, Javier Bardem, Stephen Graham, and Paul Dano. It’s such a puzzling decision for a festival that caters to international audiences in a city where more than half of the population speaks English. Also, as always, scheduling was an issue for a few titles, and one of the festival’s themes this year was #artificialintelligence, so there were sooo many AI documentaries. To be honest with you, I just don’t care enough about AI to spend hours watching multiple AI documentaries within days, if not hours, of each other. But, hey, what can you do? I still had a blast, and with fewer movies on my slate, I got to spend more time on green carpets and at ZFF Masters, including Q&As with Danny Boyle, Martin McDonagh, Anna Kendrick, Willem Dafoe, Casey Affleck, Andy Garcia, Jesse Eisenberg, John Turturro, and Naomi Watts. Pairing that with what was uncharacteristically gorgeous weather, I have no right to be disappointed, especially when you consider all the movies I did see, which, speaking of… 25. COMPANY Going into Company completely blind probably is the best way to experience it, but that doesn’t mean it’s an experience worth having; just that if you know anything about what's coming, it’s likely to be a much worse film. Aside from that, writer-director Casey Affleck's story-within-a-story-within-a-story approach is unnecessarily layered and dense, and Atticus Affleck (Casey's son, doing a Timothée Chalamet impression) presents as far too modern for the rural gothic setting. To Casey’s credit, he has a great eye, creating some truly beautiful shot compositions from behind the camera. It’s too bad he couldn’t get out of his own way with other aspects. 24. BLACK CHURCH BAY Somewhere in Black Church Bay , there is a worthy story about repression of sexual desires and being your true self in the face of judgment and controversy. However, when telling that story through the lens of a problematic protagonist, it loses some oomph. On top of that, there is a mystery at the center of it all that goes unanswered, which makes it all a bit unfulfilling. Pair that with a final-shot metaphor that is so embarrassingly on the nose that the audience — a Swiss film festival audience, mind you — audibly groaned, I can’t say I walked away with much to recommend. 23. A LONG WINTER Aside from the beautiful mountain landscapes, writer-director Andrew Haigh fails to commit to any of the ideas he throws at the wall in A Long Winter . Is it about alcoholism? Repressed sexuality? Antiquated gender roles? What does it mean to be a man? A missing woman? Yes and very much no. It certainly touches on all those subjects, but it’s not long before it moves on to the next grand idea. That lack of cohesive throughline only exacerbates the glacial pacing. Also, when people say, “that guy has it ” …whatever it is, Fred Hechinger ain’t got it — not here, anyway. 22. COLD WAR 1994 This negative review is unfair. For one, Cold War 1994 is a prequel. I didn’t know that, and I have no experience with this franchise. Second, it has the densest subtitles I’ve ever seen. They are robust with exposition, layered with voiceovers and on-screen character introductions in text. I couldn’t keep up. I was lost within the first half-hour, especially with the time-jumping. I only knew “him good, him bad.” Then, the action scenes are muddled. This might be a great movie if you have the proper background and are smarter than I am (not hard), but I never found my footing with this one. 21. THE END OF IT The concept of choosing to die when death is optional is full of potential, but The End of It squanders it with a generic mid-life crisis tale. Why does it matter? Why do I matter? What is my purpose? Is this all life is about? All those questions are discussed, as well as themes about ageism towards women, but there aren’t many satisfying answers. Rebecca Hall does excellent work, but much like the Black Mirror -like premise, it's somewhat wasted. Admittedly, the ending adds a jolt of electricity, but the build-up to it is so emotionally disconnected that it probably doesn’t hit as intended. Overall, a missed opportunity. 20. BUCKING FASTARD Look, I adore filmmaker Werner Herzog, but after seeing Bucking Fastard (great title, by the way), I need to recalibrate. Maybe I only love him as a documentarian and personality. This movie is nothing more than an interesting (and well-acted) idea, which is admittedly clever for about 30 minutes, stretched to its ends without a story to sustain it. It’s like Herzog asked what a Martin McDonagh script directed by David Lynch would look like (there is even a “For David Lynch" dedication at the beginning). The results are intriguing until they really, really aren’t, punctuated by a nothing ending. 19. CLARISSA Clarissa boasts a terrific ensemble, beautiful landscapes, and intoxicating Nigerian culture. However, it does a terrible job of setting up its characters or rooting them in time and place. Although it generally comes together in the end, the first 90 minutes are spent in a haze of confusion as you’re trying to figure out who is who, and given the poorly contextualized flashbacks, when is when. As such, it simply takes too long to get your bearings to allow you to care about how it might play out. On the plus side, it makes me want more African interpretations of old white classics. 18. MISTY GREEN I saw writer-director Chris Rock do stand-up just after getting divorced, and you could tell how bitter he was. Misty Green seethes with that same bitterness. To be fair, he's right to be angry about racism, sexism, mental health treatment, and the underbelly of the Hollywood grind; however, he throws it all at the screen with little-to-no cohesiveness and zero additional insight. He's just yelling at clouds. It doesn’t help that Misty (a star-making turn from Rosalind Eleazar) is wholly unlikeable and borderline irredeemable since her problems are her own fault. If you want me on your side, Mr. Rock, give me someone to root for. 17. SHAUN THE SHEEP: THE BEAST OF MOSSY BOTTOM Full disclosure… This is the first movie I’ve seen from Aardman, and while I appreciate the remarkable craft that goes into their stop-motion claymation, this style of kids' movie is decidedly not for me. I’m sure Shaun the Sheep is a cute distraction for younger children that inspires many toy purchases. However, I was worn down by the dialogue-free cuteness, even at only 80 minutes. I don’t want to yuck anyone's yum, so maybe take my review with a grain of salt if you are less cynical than I am. But, frankly, to quote Danny Glover's character in Lethal Weapon , “I’m too old for this shit.” 16. DOLPHINS: MY CLOSE ENCOUNTERS Dolphins: My Close Encounters is a standard, non-Attenborough nature documentary, meaning it’ll hold the attention of those already interested in dolphins and conservation efforts but probably few others. The internal conversation about staying neutral as a scientist versus interacting with your subjects is philosophically intriguing, as are the discoveries made during the two decades Angela Ziltener has spent studying this multi-generational dolphin pod. However, it's all fairly dry and lecture-y, which makes it feel more like a college course than a theatrical viewing experience. Still, if nothing else, watching dolphins frolic in crystal clear waters for 90 minutes may provide moments of zen. 15. CLUB KID If you want to stand out with an oft-told story, you need to add something fresh to the equation. Club Kid fails to do that. I’ve seen the story of a slacker-y ne'er-do-well finding himself after bonding with a kid so many times, from Big Daddy to Bad Santa to Role Models to…you get the idea. As such, it’s easy to see exactly where Club Kid is headed. That familiarity and paint-by-numbers plotting results in indifference. I mean, look, the film is perfectly fine, but if you’ve had 50 McDonald's cheeseburgers, a perfectly fine 51st McDonald's cheeseburger doesn't really move the needle, does it? 14. WHERE IS AVA? Where is Ava? isn’t a zombie movie, but it follows the same tropes that every “avoid the infected” movie does. You know the ones: hunt for supplies, don’t trust strangers, and so on. That’s not a complaint, per se; it just is what it is. To its credit, this French-language thriller starts strongly, building dread around every dark corner; however, it cries wolf too often, so that feeling of tension fizzles as the story begins to drag. But a third act revelation brings it all back by subverting expectations and getting messy with it (a compliment). It’s not required viewing, but I’m glad I experienced it. 13. THE HOUSEWIFE Having lived in Germany since 2021, I look at movies about Nazis a lot differently than I used to. I think I’m harder on them at this point because I'm much closer to the content. As such, despite Naomi Watts’ stellar performance, The Housewife registers more as an interesting idea than an interesting film. It’s mostly undone by predictability, rushed storytelling, and a wavetop exploration of its themes. Also, Tye Sheridan just doesn’t have what it takes to deliver what his role requires, especially opposite Watts. Sadly, it just feels too slight for the heaviness of the subject matter, which left me wanting. 12. DIAMOND In his first directorial effort in more than 20 years, Andy Garcia follows a blueprint set by Apple's Sugar : classic noir vibes in modern day Los Angeles with a wild twist. I imagine the twist will be divisive (I didn't hate it), but ignoring that, Garcia paints a beautiful picture of vintage LA, complete with Hollywood legends like Bill Murray and Dustin Hoffman to add lived-in legacy shading. Garcia was clearly inspired by Phillip Marlowe stories, and his appreciation for that hard-boiled detective, as well as his love for LA, adds an undeniable charm and earnestness that wallpapers over the film's many imperfections. 11. TENZING For better or worse, Tenzing feels like a biopic from the 90s. It doesn’t want to do much more than entertain…and, hey, if you happen to learn something along the way, all the better. It lightly touches on the racial and cultural hurdles that Tenzing Norgay (a committed Genden Phuntsok in his first English-speaking role) faced, but never with the weight or resonance they deserve. The film also fails to convey the true risks involved with climbing Everest, and Tom Hiddleston isn’t given much to do, either. But these are nitpicks, and while I could continue nitpicking, Tenzing remains an easy-going yet forgettable, crowd-pleaser. 10. THE WEIGHT Although The Weight has a certain throwback charm, an appropriate Depression-era patina, and Ethan Hawke doing typically great things, the story lacks the tension and palpable stakes amongst the chaotically claustrophobic direction to make it anything more than a passing diversion. It’s the type of movie that would have been in heavy rotation on TNT in the 90s, resulting in a large audience of people who took moderate enjoyment from it without ever raving about it. It’s perfectly cromulent and inoffensive in that way. I suppose one could say they don’t make movies like this anymore, but that’s not necessarily a compliment. 9. INK Director Danny Boyle’s take on the rise of British tabloid The Sun is a kinetically chaotic underdog story that is carried by an electric Jack O’Connell. But it’s presented in a way that makes you root for Larry Lamb (O’Connell), and he really isn’t someone you should root for. Plus, while there are shades of it, not enough is said about Rupert Murdoch’s (Guy Pearce) money-over-morals decision-making that we still feel to this day. If you don’t take Ink too personally, it is a fun and energetic experience; if the ills of modern media infuriate you, you’ll be pissed that Boyle wasn’t more damning. 8. THE ONLY LIVING PICKPOCKET IN NEW YORK The beauty of The Only Living Pickpocket in New York is its simplicity. The storyline is as basic as it gets, which is only amplified by its 88-minute runtime, but that simplicity puts John Turturro's acting muscles to work in an effort to rope you in. With support from several old-head acting legends in bits parts, not to mention being a love letter to New York City and an analog world, it all works wonderfully. It reminded me a lot of last year's Tuner , right down to the elegantly jazzy score, and it will probably end up standing alongside that film as an underseen throwback gem. 7. A TALENT FOR MURDER For various reasons but mostly their pretentiousness, I haven’t liked any Tom Ripley adaptation. A Talent for Murder changes that. By telling two concurrent stories — one about Patricia Highsmith (a surly Helen Mirren) workshopping her next Ripley book to a publisher (Alden Ehrenreich), the other the re-enactment of said story as it develops between the two (with Ehrenreich also portraying Ripley) — the character becomes far more accessible. It's all carried by Ehrenreich, who gives a career-best performance full of layers and nuance through dialogue and narration that is appropriately literary. The film isn’t flashy, presenting as both a stage play and childhood storytime, but it’s good old-fashioned filmmaking. 6. WICKER Wicker feels like a long-lost fairy tale from The Brothers Grimm, and frankly, I don’t know if it works with any other cast. Olivia Colman, Alexander Skarsgård, and Peter Dinklage have all demonstrated their willingness to get weird with it, and those proven sensibilities are needed to sincerely sell a story so fantastical, bawdy, and ultimately heartwarming. That commitment doesn’t stop with the performers either, as the dedication to world-building, quotable dialogue, and character design are impeccable. If that wasn’t enough, it nimbly explores gender roles in the household without being preachy. All in all, Wicker is Edward Scissorhands for a new generation. 5. WILD HORSE NINE Wild Horse Nine is exactly what you’d expect from writer-director Martin McDonagh. It’s dark, very funny, increasingly violent, and surprisingly emotional. In fact, if I were forced to find something negative, all I could point to is that it’s maybe a little too similar to McDonagh’s previous outings, most notably In Bruges and The Banshees of Inisherin . That said, those two films are instant classics, so even if Wild Horse Nine feels somewhat familiar, how is that a bad thing? Even more so when you add John Malkovich’s best performance in decades and the always terrific Sam Rockwell to bring it home. 4. THE DEBUT It feels weird to call an Oscar winner and five-time nominee a revelation, but I don’t know what other word to use to describe Julianne Moore in The Debut . Writer-director Jesse Eisenberg seems to know this world intimately, exploring both the positive and negative power of the stage, from helping people find their voice to the ego trip of method acting. It’s that palpable authenticity that allows The Debut and Moore (and Paul Giamatti, for that matter) to fire on all cylinders, from the laugh-out-loud hilarity to the heart-sinking sadness. It's a surefire awards contender and one of the year's best movies. 3. I PLAY ROCKY Fans of Sylvester Stallone, Rocky , and movies about movies should be enamored with I Play Rocky . Okay, so maybe there are no deeper insights in Stallone (Anthony Ippolito in a star-making performance). And maybe you won’t learn anything you didn’t already know. I mean, this oft-told story is what it is. But, honestly, who cares? This is the type of crowd-pleasing, popcorn entertainment that movie theaters are made for, and it made me want to rewatch the entire Rocky franchise immediately. What bigger compliment can there be? As for Ippolito, it should do for him what Elvis did for Austin Butler. 2. BABIES I couldn’t tell you the last movie to speak to me the way Babies did. So much of this story could be snapshots from my own life: the constant questions, being the childless adult at a kid-packed pool party, being an “uncle" to friends’ kids, the Bosch conversation, the sick parent, mature dating — it all hit close to home. It doesn’t hurt that Seth Rogen and Anna Kendrick seem like two of the most relatable people in Hollywood, so their perfect casting made it all the more, well, relatable. If you’re like me — a 45-year-old who has never wanted kids — prepare to feel seen. 1. JOSEPHINE There are so many words I could use to describe Josephine : brutal, devastating, infuriating, daring, empathetic, powerful, timely, relevant, and necessary. Better yet, let’s just call it what it is: a near masterpiece. Writer-director Beth de Araújo and her young star, Mason Reeves, pulled raw emotions out of me that I didn’t even know were there. While I’m telling you that, I’m also telling you that I will never watch this movie again, which is a compliment, believe it or not. The biggest of trigger warnings for parents because they may not be able to handle it, but they should try because it’s that damn profound.

DIGGER Starring: Tom Cruise, Riz Ahmed, Sandra Hüller, John Goodman, Michael Stuhlbarg, Jesse Plemons, Emma D’Arcy, Sophie Wilde, Burn Gorman, and Robert John Burke Director: Alejandro G. Iñárritu AMARÚ Señor Iñárritu, I applaud you. With Digger , you achieved two unbelievably entertaining feats. First, satirizing one of this planet’s single most harmful forces, old white men with unchecked power. Second, making a truly unpredictable original film. I promise that audiences have no clue what they’re going to witness when they walk into the theater, but for me, I walked out thoroughly captivated by every wild turn in this hilarious adventure. Tom Cruise is a force, Riz Ahmed is a gem, director Alejandro G. Iñárritu shoots gorgeous shots, and the score quirkily brings it all together. Man, I dug the hell out of this weird-ass film. PAIGE Well, Digger is not the movie you’re expecting. While it’s bold and absurd, it’s also kind of empty. The film tries to be profound with its themes, but it ultimately says things that feel obvious and familiar. This political satire has the right ideas, but it’s in the execution that it digs itself into a hole since it lacks the depth that it’s striving for. Don’t get me wrong, its set and production design are astonishing, and Tom Cruise delivers one of his best performances in a long time, but that still wasn’t enough for me to completely dig this movie. ADRIANO There’s a part of me that’s conflicted about whether or not Digger’s smarter than I’m giving it credit for, or if it’s not as smart as it thinks it is. While it’s got a talented cast screaming the whole time, and an ambitious narrative swing that I thoroughly enjoyed, its satire is fairly weak, and then the movie tries to metatextualize it by becoming a satire about satire. I don’t believe Alejandro G. Iñárritu and company are big-brained enough to be bad on purpose, and it’s also not funny enough, but it’s stuck with me, and that’s commendable as is. ROBERT A true blindside experience can be disorienting and take time for recalibration. When I think about Digger , it was like being hit by a narrative Mack Truck that didn’t care about my processing capabilities. As it is an [Alejandro] Iñárritu joint, it met a standard of apex production value, and unearthed fabulous performances from Tom Cruise down through the stacked actors gallery. Yet, the subject matter and its execution was blunt and unrelenting, which can prop up its artistic quality at times while pandering at others. The satirized world they crafted was evocative but, like Atlas, crushed the shoulders on which it rested. QUENTIN While not all of Digger ’s big and weird swings land, you must admire the audacity. The performances, however, absolutely land. John Goodman and especially Riz Ahmed deliver award-worthy supporting turns alongside Tom Cruise, who seems hellbent on reminding people that he is an actor first and a capital-M-movie-star second. On top of that, the hilarity comes in all forms, from funny one-liners to too-on-the-nose satire, from campy parody to ridiculous sight gags. Even the sound design made me laugh. Digger feels like it could be the next The Big Lebowski , a movie underappreciated in its time that ultimately becomes a classic with a fervent fanbase. JANE However polarizing Tom Cruise’s heavily prosthetic and detestable oil tycoon is, he and the ambitious and farcical Digger are a ton of fun. Apart from one major jolt, Emmanuel Lubezki’s innovative camerawork immersed me in and drew me out of Digger ’s funhouse world seamlessly, and although at times the film overexplained itself, it avoided becoming a morality play. Instead, it felt like a testament to the stubbornness, resilience, and ultimate complacency of humanity. I laughed out loud, cheered for a man I hated, realized that I’m no better than Riz Ahmed’s bumbling scientist, and days later am still thinking about it. BODE If you feel the need to explain your joke to the audience, it’s probably not that funny to begin with. Digger feels the need to explain its own, right down to its big twist, and I found it genuinely tough to sit through. While what director Alejandro G. Iñárritu is doing is admirable on paper, the execution for his ultimate satire of satires is neither very funny nor anywhere as profound as he wants it to be. Perhaps that’s the point (it argues as such, at least with the comedy), but its oft-exaggerated tone and failed attempts at emotionality say otherwise. Sorry. I’m just not a fan. KATIE Director Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s Digger is audaciously extravagant and often absolutely unhinged, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I understand why some may get frustrated or fed up with its central conceit, and it's certainly self-indulgent and sometimes exhausting to watch, but I loved the fourth-wall-breaking framing device and how it draws attention to filmmaking, the function of art, and our societal perception of reality. Tom Cruise’s performance is brilliant, and the performances across the board are delightfully crass. Above all, it’s original, ambitious, entertaining, and I was absorbed by the meta narrative.

Previous Next In film, actors always get credited for great performances, but what about their non-human companions? Since we just had The Dog Stars and Heart of the Beast, the Bitesize crew has put their brains together to compile Bitesize Breakdown's consensus Top Five Animal Performances. As per usual, each writer ranks their top 15 performers in the category. Those lists are then weighted on a reverse point system. After all the points are tallied up, the entries with the most total points make up the Bitesize Top Five. 5. SAM - I AM LEGEND German Shepherds have a lot of ideas attached to what they are: the smartest dogs, the most disciplined dogs, and also unfortunately, the if-your-dog-was-racist dog (the Civil Rights Era was not kind to them). But when you put the right German Shepherd in the right situation, you get the bestest dog, and there isn’t one I could think of quicker than the bestest girl in any apocalypse, Sam (aka Samantha) from I Am Legend . Whether Dr. Neville (Will Smith) needed a hunting partner, a road dog, or someone to listen to him sing “Three Little Birds,” Sam was there in the clutch. I don’t even want to think about that scene, so I won’t mention it for fear of my eyes watering; however, when she came to his aid to protect him from the infected dogs, I kind of didn’t want to watch the rest of the movie because I knew what was coming. I’m just happy she was in Neville’s arms in the end. Damn it, who’s cutting onions?!?!?! - Amarú 4. BUDDY - AIR BUD There may have been a few too many sequels, but we all remember Buddy, the dog who could play basketball. As a kid, you’d watch Air Bud and wonder why your pet didn't have that talent. Buddy could do it all: basketball, baseball, football, soccer, and even volleyball. None of that would have worked without a dog that could make you believe he was able to play sports. There have been multiple Buddys, as the original passed away just after shooting the first film, but they all deserve their flowers as the unlikely athlete we all grew up with that made you question what was actually possible. - Nick 3. SNOOP - ANATOMY OF A FALL When Milo Machado-Graner’s Daniel takes centre stage in the back half of Justine Triet’s masterpiece Anatomy of a Fall , it begins with the agony of watching his pet border collie, Snoop (Is he named after Snoop Dogg or Snoopy? I’m not sure), get sick and lose consciousness. And who can blame the emotional distress? That dog was as loyal to his owner as it gets, and the Palme Dog-winning mutt, Messi, was a natural on camera as the one who finds the body that sets off the film’s series of events. It was the sequence where he gets sick and barfs up aspirin where Messi shows off some genuinely impressive dog acting, at least as far as I’ve seen. Shout out is, of course, owed to his trainer, Laura Martin Contini, but dog actors don’t become sensations for nothing, and Messi earned his star status. - Adriano 2. INDY - GOOD BOY When we make these lists, I tend to avoid nominating anything too recent. Recency bias is a real thing, and just because I loved something today doesn’t mean I’ll even remember it in a year. With that in mind, lumping a super recent movie or performance with a bunch of all-timers isn’t something I’m prepared to do. Indy, the titular good boy in Good Boy , is a rare exception. I knew immediately, as I was watching, that I was seeing the best animal performance ever put on screen. Hell, I remember thinking it was the best performance, full stop, I had seen in all of 2025. I felt every bit of Indy’s fear, confusion, anguish, and concern. There are Oscar winners who can’t get me to do that. So, yeah, this was a no-brainer for me. And do you want to know the funny thing? I don’t even like dogs. - Quentin 1. TOTO - THE WIZARD OF OZ The Wizard of Oz is one of my favourite films, and it holds a very special place in my heart. Dorothy’s (Judy Garland) loyal and adorable pet terrier Toto, played by a female dog named Terry, is the bark of reason amid the technicolour world they find themselves in. Toto’s expressive little face and obedient nature are always present beside Dorothy, playing a central part in the story. Whether it's standing by her on the Yellow Brick Road, alerting Dorothy to the Scarecrow (Ray Bolger), or unveiling the truth behind the famed Wizard of Oz (Frank Morgan), Toto is a vital part of the journey to Emerald City. I’m particularly fond of Toto’s performance during "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," when he hops up beside Dorothy for the duration of the song and reaches his paw out to her whenever she comes near. As if the song alone didn’t make me cry already! Toto’s performance is solidified in cinematic history in one of the most perennial classics. So, indeed... and Toto, too! - Katie HONORABLE MENTIONS BLACK PHILLIP - THE WITCH JENNY - THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN BRANDY - ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD MILO - THE MASK BABE - BABE

VERITY Starring: Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson, Josh Hartnett, Brady Wagner, and Ismael Cruz Cordova Director: Michael Showalter NICK As a Josh Hartnett fan and Dakota Johnson defender, Verity was a rough night at the movies for me. There is nothing redeemable about this film. In fact, I spent most of its runtime thinking about whether there were any films this year I enjoyed less and was unable to come up with one. Everything from the dialogue and wooden performances to the bad music-video style shots and uninspired score is painful to sit through (and almost beat for beat The Housemaid ). I don’t even know what else to say other than this is a true contender for my worst film of 2026. BODE 2026 has truly been the year of Anne Hathaway, with a total of five features showcasing her seemingly endless range as an actress. I only wish Verity ended her run on a high note. Luckily, she comes out unscathed. Bringing the right amount of theatricality to her titular unreliable narrator, the film occasionally comes to life whenever she’s on screen, promising a trashier, more unhinged picture. Sadly, it’s too stiff and listless to ever be such, even with some ridiculous late-game twists. Even co-stars Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett seem a bit lost. At the very least, they all look really attractive. ADRIANO Can I like a movie that I enjoyed because the enjoyment was at the movie's expense? Don’t get it twisted, Verity is terrible and made me laugh a lot. That was not the goal. It tries to be a psychosexual thriller that tackles impulse and trust, delivering its final note with an unironic Hot Ones clip. Instead, it’s unintentionally hilarious and comes off as a trashy soap opera with stiff performances from Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett, alongside Volker Bertelmann ruining another movie with his overbearing score. So yes, I can find joy in garbage, but it’s ultimately still garbage.