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Previous Next March 12, 2025 WRITTEN BY: KATIE Last year, when watching The Substance for the first time, I got to thinking about the plethora of influences that impact filmmakers nowadays because Coralie Fargeat’s incredible film is littered with references and stylistic homages. To name just a few, these include the interiors of the Overlook Hotel in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining , shots that mirror David Lynch’s Lost Highway and David Cronenberg’s body horror classic Videodrome , scenes that draw upon Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo , and the bloody climax that reminded me of Brian De Palma’s Carrie . A French director, Fargeat’s love of American films is also evident in her debut feature, Revenge (one of my favourite films ever), and she has commented that she was directly influenced by iconic action films like Kill Bill , Mad Max: Fury Road , and First Blood when making it. Fargeat’s referential work reminds me of Ana Lily Amirpour, an Iranian American filmmaker whose debut feature, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night , a black and white Iranian film about a chador-clad, skateboarding vampire, is similarly steeped in influences from all over the world. It opens like a classic spaghetti western, utilising the genre’s themes and character archetypes, but with an atmospheric setting inspired by Lynch’s Eraserhead , and featuring iconography from 1950s juvenile delinquent movies like Rebel Without a Cause . Now, filmmakers have obviously always been influenced by the movies and aesthetics they’ve been exposed to, but not like today. Modern technology has enabled easy access to films from any era, place, or genre, and this impact is evident on the increasingly eclectic films we currently see. A particularly good example is Everything Everywhere All at Once , which has countless cinematic references and homages that accumulate to express the information overload we experience as a result of the omnipresence of the internet, specifically social media, and how that impacts us as individuals and a society. I think there is a unifying aspect in these films alongside the eclectic styles of their directors, and that is that they’re channelling expressionism and neo-expressionism to portray the uniquely overwhelming world we live in. Realism cannot capture the, frankly, insane and sometimes scary socio-political landscape we exist in today, so it would make sense that filmmakers are utilising different tools to express that experience, and their toolkits are now more varied than ever. Some examples include The Tragedy of Macbeth , Poor Things , Denis Villeneuve’s Dune films, Challengers , Emilia Pérez , The Substance , Nosferatu (obviously), and I’d even argue Greta Gerwig’s Barbie (but more on that in a bit). To start, let’s get into what German expressionism and neo-expression actually are. WHERE IT ALL BEGAN – GERMAN EXPRESSIONISM AND NEO-EXPRESSIONISM German expressionism is a stylistic movement that has its roots in the early 1920s. A combination of political instability, the threat of economic issues, post-war anxiety, and the banning of foreign films during the Weimar period are attributed to the rise of films that sought to convey their characters’ emotional struggles and mental states. They used unsettling and surreal set design, chiaroscuro lighting, exaggerated makeup and acting, creative camera angles, and unsettling atmospherics to express the subjective experience of their characters. Some of the most notable examples of that era include The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari , Metropolis , and the original Nosferatu . German expressionism was exported to the United States when the filmmakers who fled Europe introduced their unique way of storytelling to Hollywood. They quickly made an impact outside of Germany, having a demonstrable effect on American horror films of the 1930s, heavily influencing film noir in the 1940s and 1950s and inspiring the careers of filmmakers like Alfred Hitchcock. Neo-expressionism in film arose from the art movement of the 1970s and 1980s. Like German expressionism, neo-expressionism uses artificial lighting and sets, involves challenging themes, surreal aesthetics, and emphasises the psychological experience of their subjects over realism. Unlike their German expressionist predecessors, however, neo-expressionist art and film are characterised by their bold colours and, much like the modern directors I’ve discussed, are heavily influenced by historical referentiality. With its distinctive visual style, bold themes, creative techniques, and ability to communicate anxiety and psychological interiority, German expressionism and subsequently neo-expressionism clearly had a significant impact in film, and I believe they are having a resurgence today. I’m not saying that our current political and social reality is the same as the conditions that birthed German expressionism, but the themes and visual language lends itself to portraying anxiety, uncertainty, and turmoil, which are definitely common features of the world today. With all of this in mind, I want to go through some recent examples of films that I believe incorporate elements of the expressionist and/or neo-expressionist style to convey disillusionment with our current social and political reality while challenging the status-quo. POOR THINGS Yorgos Lanthimos’ Oscar-winning Poor Things demonstrates the style of German expressionism through its incredible production design, costuming, and portrayal of the protagonist Bella, played by Emma Stone, who won Best Actress for her performance. All the sets for Poor Things were handmade and hand-painted, and lots of the visual effects are practical and the result of very creative thinking. The rooms feel unnervingly large and slightly distorted when Bella is less developed at the beginning of the film, giving the impression of a child learning to walk, stumbling through the rooms of the home. As Bella learns and grows, sets are used to convey a sense of claustrophobia as others around her attempt to control her, conveying her growing discomfort and awareness. The furniture inside the Baxter house is mismatched, with some chairs being too small and some being comically large, adding to the otherworldliness of the film and relating it to Bella’s experience of her new reality. Lanthimos used practical lighting on set to immerse the viewer in the unique world, then added high-contrast lighting to enhance the emotional drama and strangeness of particular scenes. As for Stone, her performance reminds me of the stylised and exaggerated style of German expressionist films. Bella’s character externalises everything she thinks and feels, expressing emotion in a child-like way, especially before she has learned to use language. As the film progresses, her growth is reflected in Stone’s performance, as Bella becomes more physically composed and well-spoken. Initially, Bella is clad in pastel colours and childish styles: puffy sleeves, ruffles, and playful textures, often missing bits and pieces of her clothing. Her personal choices of outfits are dramatic and eccentric, highlighting her newly discovered sexuality and cheerful exploration of the world around her. As the movie progresses, her outfits become more reserved and stylish in an understated way, with darker, more sensible tones and less audacious fabrics and frills. This change is representative of both her development over the course of the film and the way her experiences have shaped her. All of this seeks to challenge male control of female sexuality and desire, and comments on self-actualisation when uninhibited by shame and the patriarchy. THE SUBSTANCE The pressure to perform and conform is inescapable in The Substance . The repetitive grid pattern pops up constantly over the course of the film, most notably in spaces with mirrors, and it’s through such set design that the film shows the rigidity of expectations that are thrust upon and internalised by women, highlighting the ways in which they follow the protagonist, Elisabeth Sparkles (Demi Moore), everywhere. It also adds to the surreal uncanny valley effect, where the world is recognisable but also too artificial and sterile, too bright and intense, which emphasises the ways in which the world feels to the characters rather than how it actually is. This is reflected in the dialogue and logic of the film, too, where everything feels imitative and slightly hostile. The television network’s headquarters is full of long hallways and fixed, geometric patterns. Elisabeth’s apartment is uncomfortably expansive, almost overwhelmingly so, which is juxtaposed against the dark, lengthy hallway that leads to her painfully white, plain, and fluorescent bathroom, where there is nothing to concentrate on but her own refection. Her own image stares at her both from a billboard outside her window and a giant portrait in her living room, showing that she cannot escape the pressures and insecurities that plague her or the toxic standards to which she holds herself. BARBIE So, to be fair, this whole article has been anecdotal and a bit of fun since I love just talking about film and discussing my own observations, so stick with me here… Barbie also owes a debt to German expressionism and neo-expressionism, particularly in its portrayal of Barbieland. Take Weird Barbie’s (Kate McKinnon) house, for example. The skewed staircase, the angular architecture, jagged shapes, oddly shaped doorways – do you see it?! What’s more, the residents of Barbieland don’t quite fit in their dollhouse homes or cars. They’re all slightly too large, and random items like hairbrushes are too big for the characters, creating an odd effect that enhances the feeling of “authentic artificiality,”, which is how Greta Gerwig described the style of the film. Even more so, though, it creates the feeling that something is somehow out of place in the world. A very expressionistic endeavour, indeed.

Previous Next February 12, 2025 WRITTEN BY: PAIGE Although every friend dynamic is unique, I believe that some of the most genuine on-screen representations of women come from stories about their platonic bonds. It is crucial to have stories about women who rely on each other, encourage one another, and simply enjoy each other's company because they serve as a reminder of our own beautiful yet complex friendships. With that in mind, move over Valentine’s Day! We’re here to honor Galentine's Day, which is observed on February 13th to celebrate mutual female empowerment. For my part, I want to note the power of the female bond by shining a light on my favorite female friendships that have graced the big screen over the years. So, grab your gal pals for a Galentine’s Day Movie Night! THELMA & LOUISE (1991) When I think of the term “ride or die,” the first movie that comes to mind is Thelma & Louise , starring the great Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon. There is an unbreakable bond between two best friends embarking on a road trip gone wrong. The women's tight knit friendship is evident despite the plot's occasionally heavy and hard-hitting moments, which provide a poignant depiction of two lifelong buddies who will do practically anything for one another. The film uses friendship as a source of strength, showing the ways in which this kind of bond can help one face and overcome any obstacle. Plus, I just adore how this movie explores the freedom achieved between the two platonic best friends — a freedom typically reserved for women only to find with romantic lovers. Ridley Scott’s film truly shows that once two girlfriends join forces, it’s over for everyone else. It also has one of cinema’s most iconic final scenes, taking the idea of “friends ‘til the end” quite literally. ROMY AND MICHELE’S HIGH SCHOOL REUNION (1997) Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion is a 90s classic packed with nostalgia. Although Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino play bombastic characters, this hilarious gem is full of charm. The film does a fantastic job of demonstrating how friendships can provide support throughout and beyond high school because the titular characters love each other for who they are, through thick and thin. While not having much to show in terms of their personal and professional lives, they make the best of the situation by sticking to a lie they made up together to appear successful. In the end, despite them having a big blow up, the pair realize that their shared friendship is enough to feel successful in life. The moral of the story is that high school reunions can be rough, but if you have your bestie by your side, you’ll get through it. Romy (Sorvino) and Michele (Kudrow) demonstrate that, even after years of being friends, the shenanigans never really end. SUGAR & SPICE (2001) Sugar and Spice is one of those early 2000s flicks that I’m genuinely surprised never turned into a cult classic. Yes, the premise may seem ridiculous, but it’s a high school comedy you can enjoy with your girlfriends while turning your brain off. Many say your friends are your chosen family, and in this case, it’s totally true. When Diane (Marley Shelton) informs her family that she is pregnant, they disown her. Thankfully, she has her cheer squad to stick by her side, no matter what. They live up to their cheerleading oath of “all for one,” committing to performing the perfect stunt together: robbing a bank! They use cheer lifts and teamwork to pull off this heist for the soon-to-be mom as she is desperate for money. Let’s be honest, true friends are the ones willing to commit a crime for or with you, and Lincoln High's A-squad are true homies. Get ready to cheer for the bad girls in this underrated quirky comedy! GIRLS TRIP (2017) In addition to being one of the funniest buddy films of the last decade, Girls Trip gave us major friendship goals. “The Flossy Posse“ (Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, Tiffany Haddish, and Regina Hall) may have become distant over time, but once they get the gang back together, they rediscover their bond while enjoying a weekend of debauchery at the Essence Festival in New Orleans. Each character must work through their own personal struggles — whether that’s a cheating husband, getting fired, or losing touch with themselves — as they attempt to reconnect amid the chaos and drama that ensues throughout the trip. This ultimately deepens their collective bonds and gets them through their challenges, as their steadfast love and support for one another will always win. This is one of the most perfect movies to watch while discussing exactly how a Galentine’s should be spent. BOOKSMART (2019) Some may refer to the friendship displayed in Olivia Wilde's directorial debut as the “female version of Superbad ,” and while those comparisons are somewhat accurate, Booksmart represents so much more. This movie goes beyond the notion that high school students are just misunderstood adults. It explores the idea that they have already started to realize who they are, and that it is a treasure to have someone by your side as you grow into the person you want to be. The bond between Molly (Beanie Feldstein) and Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) exemplifies the cycle of friendship's loyalty through the highs, lows, and in-betweens of major life changes (in this case, going off to college). These girls not only stuck with each other through four years of high school while hitting the books, they also support one another during a wild, chaotic night that they will always remember. If you and your gal pals are looking for a great teen comedy, I highly recommend throwing Booksmart on. SOMEONE GREAT (2019) Someone Great is a Netflix original movie that all the girlies should check out with their friends. Getting dumped can be rough, but your crew will be there to help ease the pain, which is precisely what these friends do when Jenny (Gina Rodriguez) gets dumped on the same day she gets her dream job. To help mend her broken heart, they rally behind her by calling in sick to their jobs and distracting her with a wild night out on the town. While the film is hilarious, there are a lot of tender moments, too, especially as it demonstrates how friendships can be a crucial support system. Besties like these will always be there to provide emotional support and strength during challenging times, and the bond between Jenny and her two best friends, Erin (DeWanda Wise) and Blair (Brittany Snow), is something special to watch on screen. Let’s face it, we’ve all been there, so this is the perfect flick to watch if you’ve recently gone through a break-up.

PARISH: SEASON ONE Starring: Giancarlo Esposito, Zackary Momoh, Paula Malcomson, Skeet Ulrich, Ivan Mbakop, Bonnie Mbuli, Arica Himmel, Dax Rey, and Bradley Whitford Creators: Danny Brocklehurst, Sunu Gonera, and Theo Travers QUENTIN While Parish is certainly watchable, especially as a background show while doing mindless tasks on the couch, there is no real reason to watch outside of some better-than-the-series-deserves performances from Giancarlo Esposito (in a lead role, finally) and Bradley Whitford (in a recurring role). Otherwise, it’s a generically standard crime show. Parish (Esposito) escaped a life of crime only to be pulled back in by his old partner. There is a menacingly calm crime boss from Africa who has a hot-headed brother. Loyalties are tested. There are gunfights and car chases. It’s all very fine and very unremarkable. Extra points for only being six episodes, though.

Previous December 31, 2024 Next A BITESIZE CHAT WITH SEAN GUNN Actor Sean Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy, Gilmore Girls) joins Nick to talk about the final installment in the Guardians trilogy, the mo-cap process for Rocket, and what's next for Kraglin. Make sure to check out Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 now in theatres. Interview conducted on May 2nd, 2023 by Nick van Dinther. Photo Credits: Banner - Frederic J. Brown/Getty Images; Photos - Marvel Studio

Previous Next With the upcoming release of Bullet Train, the Bitesize crew has put their brains together to compile Bitesize Breakdown's consensus Top Five Assassin Films. Each writer ranks his or her top 15 films 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. COLLATERAL While Heat is rightfully considered director Michael Mann’s best movie, Collateral makes a strong case for the number two spot behind its propulsive story, the stylishly gritty direction, Tom Cruise playing against type as a silver-foxed assassin, and an Oscar-nominated performance from Jamie Foxx. In some ways, it feels like a spiritual sequel to Heat , as if it exists in the same world as that masterpiece. And, you know, I’m not sure I can give a bigger compliment than that. - Quentin 4. THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM You can’t discuss assassins without mentioning Jason Bourne (the character, not the movie). Featuring one of the best assassins cinema has ever seen, the Bourne series has been so influential that you can see its fingerprints all over Daniel Craig's iteration of the even more iconic James Bond. With The Bourne Ultimatum , we see the rare occasion when the third entry in a franchise is also the best. At the time, it was the perfect way to wrap up such an amazing trilogy. - Nick 3. PULP FICTION Director Quentin Tarantino’s (arguably) best film is considered as such because it is so many different things while still being so singular. I genuinely didn’t even realize that it would fall into the assassin movie category until I stopped and thought about it, and any time you stop to think about Pulp Fiction ’s greatness, it’s a beautiful thing. - Amarú 2. JOHN WICK John Wick is a miracle of a movie, both for itself and action cinema. For years, action movies were in dire straits, but that all changed when Keanu Reeves was resurrected by directors David Leitch and Chad Stahelski as a vengeful boogeyman with a knack for headshots. The “gun-fu” in John Wick birthed a renewed vitality in action cinema, and its precision-based choreography remains a staple of action filmmaking to this day. What an awesome ride. - Jacob 1. KILL BILL Writer/director Quentin Tarantino created a stylish masterpiece with Kill Bill , a love letter to other classics that also leaves its own bloody mark on them. Uma Thurman gives an incredible performance as the ‘The Bride’ (aka Black Mamba), a betrayed assassin seeking vengeance on her former hit squad, the DiVAS (Deadly Viper Assassination Squad). And who doesn’t love a good revenge tale? She is all righteous fury in this bloody affair that is amongst Tarantino’s best work. - Paige HONORABLE MENTIONS TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY LOOPER CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER IN BRUGES THE TERMINATOR Photo Credits: Photo 1 - Dreamworks Pictures; Photo 2 - Universal Pictures; Photo 3, 5 - Miramax Films; Photo 4 - Lionsgate

Previous December 31, 2024 Next A BITESIZE CHAT WITH DANIELS The directing duo of Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, collectively known as Daniels (Swiss Army Man ), take a moment to chat with us about their upcoming film Everything Everywhere All at Once . BB: I've got to start off with a question about the [in-movie] universes because there were so many incredible ones and they just all blew us away. Were there any universes that you guys designed and came up with that you weren’t able to include? DS: Yeah, just like 40 or 50. DK: *laughs* Every day, we’d come up with a new idea that would not fit. But the one that we actually put in the script from day one... then shot during the pandemic and put in the edit, and it was one of the last things we cut out of the film because our movie was already too long, was the universe called “Spaghetti Baby Noodle Boy.” Michelle Yeoh becomes a long spaghetti in a pot of other spaghettis, and there’s a little macaroni boy who’s like an orphan elbow macaroni. His name is Spaghetti Baby Noodle Boy, and he’s having, like, a crisis of identity because no one else has a hole like he does. So he’s wondering why God would make him with a hole when everyone else is normal. And the premise of that world is that there is a ritual, every now and then, where a spoon comes down and scoops one of the spaghettis out, and they call it “Throwing Day” because it’s the day where one of the chosen spaghetti gets thrown against the wall. If they stick, they become an adult and it’s like a ritual of passage to adulthood. So that got cut. It was going to be voiced by Jenny Slate and it was very stupid. BB: That's amazing. Even though it’s early in the year, this film is already receiving Oscar buzz, both as a film and for Michelle Yeoh's performance. Is that something that, when you guys saw the finished product, you saw as a possibility? Or did it completely catch you off guard? DS: Yeah, we wrote this with the Oscars in mind. We, like, hired a data scientist to analyze what gets nominations and we wrote this... *laughs* Sarcasm is good in interviews, right? DK: The funny thing about this movie is we… with our music videos and stuff like that, we’re used to getting nominated for things, but we rarely win. I think people can appreciate our zeal for overambitious projects, but most people don’t want to award us for it. So, yeah, I never expected any of this. I will say our personal assistant, when he first read the script, he came up to me later and was like, "I think this is going to get nominated for Original Screenplay,” and I was like... DS: We were like, “Shut up. You're fired.” *laughs* DK: Exactly. But, also, he’s GenZ. He's younger. And, of course, the script spoke to him. So, I was like, "you’ll say that, but the Oscar voters are like three times your age." It’s ok. We didn’t do this for that. That all being said, if Michelle Yeoh can win something off of this movie, I will be so proud to be a part of that legacy and be the directors to finally push her into that place where she’s kind of deserved to be for so long. Fingers crossed. We’ll see if people remember this movie... DS: I just want her to do more movies that show everything she’s capable of. And, yeah, awards make me uncomfortable. It is not at all something we aspired to do or expected. The only award I want is auditor of the month. *laughs* BB: Leaving the screening, one moment of the movie that definitely stood out to me - and one of the first things that popped in my head - was the cojones of you guys putting one of the most pivotal scenes set between two rocks in a barren desert. And that reminded me of Swiss Army Man when Hank [Paul Dano] gets over his repression and his self loathing by farting in public. I just want to applaud you for finding that edge between brilliance and insanity... How do you find that edge? And how do you know how far is too far? DS: There's a Kurt Vonnegut quote where he’s like, "out on the edge, there’s so much more you can see. You just gotta be careful not to go over." I think it’s somewhat organic to our process and to our taste that we’re somewhat cynical guys, but we’re deeply romantic deep down. We want to feel feelings, and it takes smushing things together and saying a sincere thing in absurd circumstances to get past our defences, you know? We’re kind of just writing in a way to try to get past our own defences in the hopes that other people out there, who maybe have seen a few too many movies might… like multiple people have said, “this movie made me cry and I thought I was dead inside.” *laughs* I think that’s the sweetest compliment, and I think there’s something about absurdity that sneaks past people’s defences. It's definitely about more than just the laugh of it, you know? DK: There are two of us, so there’s a tension there, a creative tension, so that we make sure we don’t go off the edge. You know, if someone is in love with an idea and it’s going too far, the other person will pull it back. Then, the last thing is, you know, we always want to make our moms proud, so, as wild as our movies are, we always go "ok, the litmus test is ‘would we be able to show this to our parents?’" DS: And we welcome reactions and criticism. We’re not just in a bubble as we write or make the movie, and that helps too, to kind of be like, "ohh…that was too far. Let’s cut that." There used to be more dildos [in Everything Everywhere All at Once ]. *laughs* We were like, “oh, we don’t have to rub it in their face. We'll do less.” BB: I enjoyed the trend of the googly eyes throughout the film. Was that always gonna play a major factor or did the concept of using the googly eye evolve over the course of the film? DS: It evolved. We kind of discovered it as we were discovering the character of Waymond [Ke Huy Quan], trying to find a visual language for kindness, and there was something about how dismissive, like dismissible, a googly eye is. And the idea of trying to reclaim that and make it pivotal just made us laugh. But, also, it felt truthful. You know, there’s something powerful about trying to put a little joy into life, and that’s what it kind of came to represent. But we also have a soft spot for things that look stupid. DK: Yeah, so, Michelle Yeoh, with a googly eye on her forehead, fighting through bad guys with kindness was just such an absurd image and umm… Yeah, the moment when we realized “oh, the bullet hits her head, she pulls off the bullet, turns it into a googly eye, puts it back on her head,” we were like “ah, there we go. Third eye.” It’s this moment where the kindness and the silliness is the enlightenment. It’s not enlightened in spite of the silliness. Silliness is at the centre of that moment of understanding. It’s always fun to just shake a bunch of stuff together in a box and see what sticks together, and the googly eyes were one of the materials we threw in that box. It took awhile before we were able to see the full arc. BB: I saw that you guys mentioned that this character was written around Michelle Yeoh. Are there any other actors that you have specific stories that you’re waiting to tell? DK: *laughs* DS: So we can put it out in the ether? DK: Trying to get a scoop! There is a movie that we’re working on that may or may not star Rowan Atkinson. [We’ve] been a big fan forever. We’ll see if that happens. DS: That’s another one where, like, that’s who we picture in our heads. DK: We’re doing something that, technically, we don’t have rights to. We’ve already tried to pitch it to the studio twice and they’ve rejected us twice, but we’re still holding on to it. It would star Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey. We’ll see if the universe will let us do that again. DS: Another scoop we could give you… With this one, writing it for Michelle, it just ended up working, you know? Like, she was perfect for it in ways we couldn’t even imagine and it happened. And then, other times, you write with someone in mind and it ends up not being the right person. When we started writing Swiss Army Man , we had just done a Tenacious D video, and we were envisioning Jack Black in the part. So we started writing this sort of musical set in the forest, and we’re like, “we know Jack Black now. What if he’s in it?” But as we went on, we were like, “oh, this is a story about a young man, a lonely young man.” It was really hard to admit…”oh, this part is not for Jack Black anymore.” One day, I wanna do a feature film with Jack Black, but I don’t know what it is yet. BB: Awesome. So your experience with music videos… one thing that I’ve noticed about music videos and dance sequences compared to fighting sequences is that they’re both used to inform the story. The fighting sequences you directed in [Everything Everywhere All at Once ] were absolutely brilliant. They looked absolutely gorgeous, and shout out to Andy [Le] and Brian [Le]. [The fight scenes were] one of the funniest things I’ve seen. What techniques or lessons that you’ve learned from your music video experience were you able to apply to the fight sequences? DS: A lot. I do think that we’re just… physical comedy and physicality is a common language that we share. It’s why music videos became such a good launching pad for us because, sometimes, we just communicate with sound effects and dance moves more than big vocabulary words. We’ve kind of learned a visual language and a physical language over the years, whether it’s a fight scene or a dance number or just an action set piece where no one is fighting. We collected every tool that we learned, every little trick we used again [for] this movie. It was such a great bed of resources because we were trying to pull off an action movie for like a tenth of the budget of blockbusters. We wanted to embrace that and keep it scrappy because, sometimes, scrappy movies are my favorite anyway. I think that’s one lesson we learned. You know, whether it was dance or fighting over the years, it was like, “huh, sometimes more people with guns makes for a boring movie.” Sometimes, keeping it small is more interesting. One dancer can be more riveting than 30 if it’s earned, you know? But, oh my God, our coordinators, Tim Eulich and the Le brothers, Andy and Brian, just elevated it, and we were so grateful. They made us look very good. Make sure to check out Everything Everywhere All At Once now in theatres. Interview conducted on April 4th, 2022 by Nick van Dinther. Photo Credits: Banner - Jeff Vespa/WireImage; Photo 1 - Rich Fury/Getty; Photo 2 - A24

Previous Next It's the holiday season, and with Christmas just 10 days away, the Bitesize crew has put their brains together to compile Bitesize Breakdown's consensus Top Five Christmas Movies. Each writer ranks his or her top 15 films 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. IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE The life of George Bailey (James Stewart) is a holiday tradition in many a household for good reason: the love, the heartache, the joy, and the spirit. It’s A Wonderful Life is everything you relate to during the holiday season rolled into a warm hug. If Bailey yelling at every building in Bedford Falls doesn’t give you all the feels, then maybe we’ve found the real life Grinch. - Amarú 4. DIE HARD Yes, Die Hard is a Christmas movie. Deal with it. I mean, at its core, it’s the story of a flawed-but-good man trying to fix his marriage during the holidays. Many Christmas movies have that same premise. The fact that it takes machine guns, C4 explosives, and German terrorists to make the reconciliation complete is irrelevant. And for people like me that don’t jive on all the sappiness and saccharine family feelings that tend to come with holiday movies, Die Hard is the perfect holiday palate cleanser. Yippee Ki-Yay, indeed. - Quentin 3. ELF What can be said about Elf that hasn’t been said already? Jon Favreau’s 2003 Christmas comedy is everything charming, sentimental, strange, and wonderful about the holiday season wrapped up into a perfectly cast package that features one of the most beautiful musical scores a Christmas movie can ever hope to have and arguably Will Ferrell’s most iconic film performance. James Caan and Mary Steenburgen are terrifically matched, Peter Dinklage aces as Miles Finch, and who among us didn’t instantly fall in love with Zooey Deschanel’s Jovie? - Jacob 2. HOME ALONE Home Alone is a classic that is a must watch every holiday season because it’s highly entertaining and delivers all the laughs. It just has everything going for it: a great ensemble cast, a script by John Hughes, direction by Chris Columbus, and a score from John Williams. The antics have been amusing us for decades too. We have all lived through Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) as he enjoyed every kid's dream of getting to do whatever he wanted in an empty home with no parents, all while taking on The Wet Bandits (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern). - Paige 1. NATIONAL LAMPOON'S CHRISTMAS VACATION I can’t possibly imagine a Christmas season without watching National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation at least once. There’s not a single scene in the movie that doesn’t make me laugh while watching Chevy Chase’s Clark Griswold try and fail to make the best Griswold Family Christmas ever. Plus, for a film littered with slapstick and crude humour, there is still an underlying feeling of heartfelt joy that, in a special Christmas way, never leaves while watching this film. - Adriano HONORABLE MENTIONS SCROOGED THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL A CHRISTMAS STORY GREMLINS BATMAN RETURNS Photo Credits: Photo 1 - RKO Pictures; Photo 2, 4 - 20th Century Studios; Photo 3 - New Line Cinema; Photo 5 - Warner Bros.

Previous Next The Bitesize crew has put their brains together to compile Bitesize Breakdown's consensus Top Five Superhero/Supervillain Casting. Each writer ranks his or her top 15 actors 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. MARGOT ROBBIE AS HARLEY QUINN Harley Quinn is such a complicated character to portray, and I can no longer imagine anybody other than Margot Robbie in the role. Robbie nails the zaniness of Harley so flawlessly that her performance was the lone bright spot in the disaster that was Suicide Squad (2016). I genuinely hope they never recast her. - Adriano 4. ROBERT DOWNEY JR. AS TONY STARK/IRON MAN In 2008, not many people knew of Iron Man, and even fewer wanted to touch Robert Downey Jr.. However, the perfect pairing of character and actor not only solidified a foundation for the MCU to build upon, but also resurrected RDJ’s career. It’s like Downey honed his loveable sarcasm and arrogance from birth because he knew, one day, he would be the only one who could pull off a believable genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist without hesitation. - Amarú 3. HEATH LEDGER AS JOKER There is no denying that Heath Ledger’s portrayal of Joker is what made The Dark Knight so great, as his unique blend of dark humor and unbridled insanity was in a league of its own. By playing into Joker’s anarchist antics, Ledger showed that you can reinterpret a classic character without losing the core motivations. The look, dialogue, and laugh are all iconic, and this performance showed the world that superhero films can be more than a popcorn flick, they’re Oscar-worthy. - Joseph 2. HUGH JACKMAN AS LOGAN/WOLVERINE With nine films over 18 years, you knew Wolverine wouldn’t be recast until Hugh Jackman decided that he was done with the role. His interpretation of the character was the ultimate badass steeped in tragedy. With each entry into the franchise, he gave the troubled mutant increased depth and maturity, culminating with a brilliant final performance in Logan , which, by my count, is still the best superhero movie of all time. - Nick 1. RYAN REYNOLDS AS WADE WILSON/DEADPOOL When pounding about who has been perfectly cast as a character, the first one that always pops in my mind is Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool. I mean, it’s a no brainer. Sure, they are both Canadian, but that’s not the only reason. The wit, sarcasm, and charisma of Deadpool combined with the dynamic personality of Ryan Reynolds is just a match made in heaven. Reynolds IS The Merc with a Mouth, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. - Paige HONORABLE MENTIONS WILLEM DAFOE AS NORMAN OSBORN/GREEN GOBLIN PATRICK STEWART AS CHARLES XAVIER/PROFESSOR X JOSH BROLIN AS THANOS TOM HIDDLESTON AS LOKI DANNY DEVITO AS PENGUIN Photo Credits: Photo 1, 3 - Warner Bros; Photo 2 - Paramount Pictures; Photo 4, 5 - 20th Century Studios

Previous Next May 28, 2025 WRITTEN BY: QUENTIN “I feel like I’m taking crazy pills!” (W. Ferrell, Zoolander) We’ve all been there. You’re having a friendly conversation about movies when someone pops in with a trendy opinion that is bonkers to you. Or maybe you’re reading a “Best [insert genre] Movies of All Time” list that leaves you perplexed at the number one title. Or maybe there is a new movie that everyone thinks is the greatest thing since sliced bread, yet you’re left scratching your head as to why. This recently happened to me with Sinners . Now, don’t get me wrong; Sinners is fine. But it’s only fine (check out my review HERE ). It’s not “a shoo-in for Best Picture,” it’s certainly not “the greatest vampire movie ever made,” and it most definitely isn’t “the first truly original movie in years” — all direct quotes I’ve heard from multiple people. To reiterate, it’s not a bad movie, but I do not understand the level of hype, love, acclaim, and superlatives being piled on it. I just don’t get it. Given this recent experience, as well as the fact that Sinners hits digital platforms next week, I started thinking about other movies and shows that are universally loved and well-regarded that I simply don’t get. Not so much things I dislike that others love, but more along the lines of “why did this become the thing?” How did something I find so middle-of-the-road land in the “Best of…” conversation collective? Much to my surprise — and maybe yours given my reputation as Bitesize’s OG (Old Grump) — I somewhat struggled to come up with titles. Granted, I tried to rein in my more ranty, old-man-yelling-at-clouds thoughts so as not to come off too much like Andy Rooney (look him up, youngins). I’m sure that drained the swamp a bit, so to speak. First, I didn’t consider any major IP with a devoted fandom, meaning no Marvel, Star Wars , The Lord of the Rings , Star Trek , and the like, because even if I’m not a fan of a certain franchise, I can appreciate the fun and community connection that comes with enthusiastic and sprawling fanbases. For example, I don’t adore Harry Potter , but between the amusement parks, conventions, merchandising, “which Potter House are you?” quizzes, and ingrained camaraderie, I completely understand why people do. It’s nice to be a part of something. I’m part of a few fandoms myself, so to put it in simpler terms: I get it. Second, I avoided any movies that were, in my opinion, only loved by the pretentious arthouse critic scene and awards panels. For the most part, these are movies that pundits rave about during the short awards season, then are generally forgotten about by almost everyone except armchair scholars who want to make the “Marvel is not cinema” argument. I admit this is anecdotal, but no real person I’ve ever met is still singing the praises of The Artist , Power of the Dog , The English Patient , or Phantom Thread (all Best Picture nominees, two of them winners). I get the echo chamber of awards season, so it seems unfair to consider movies that were overhyped in a singular moment. Did I get all the love for Best Picture nominee Mank ? Nope. And considering this is likely the first time you’ve heard anyone mention it in the past five years probably means that most everyone else didn’t get it either, so am I really alone on that one? After setting the rules, giving it some thought, and considering my word count, I’ve come up with three titles that, in most conversations, I’m the outlier. Things that cause my friends to look at me with slack-jawed bewilderment while audibly gasping when I say, “I don’t get it.” Every time this happens, I think back to Mugatu and his crazy pills. Can I really be that wrong about a movie or show? Am I on crazy pills? I suppose it’s possible. But then again, “the greatest vampire movie ever made” rings out in my head, letting me know that I’m not the one on crazy pills because that’s a fucking bonkers take. With that in mind, let’s jump straight into the deep end and piss some people off… THE WIRE (2002-2008) The Wire is perhaps the most overrated television show in history. Ooooh, did you feel that collective recoil? Look, I’m not saying it’s a bad show, just overrated. It’s a perfectly serviceable crime drama that features good-but-not-amazing performances (Michael K. Williams aside), mildly-interesting-but-disjointed storylines and character arcs across its five seasons, and incredibly slow pacing. When I watched it during COVID, it was my second attempt because I couldn’t even get through the first season when I tried years earlier (circa 2013). Upon finishing it, I didn’t feel anything. I didn’t feel like I had been on a journey with characters I cared about. I didn’t feel like I learned anything new. I just didn’t get it. It was fine, but forgettable — and I say that as someone who has literally worked counternarcotics alongside DEA, so I had something of a personal connection. Great shows shouldn’t leave you feeling so shruggy and empty. Maybe watching it so many hype-bombarding years after it aired affected my opinion, but I think most Wire lovers experienced it that way since the series had terrible ratings when it aired on HBO. It’s also worth noting that it was largely ignored by awards shows during its run. However, when people talk about The Wire , they discuss it in almost biblically revered tones. Various publications have called it the “most ambitious” show on television while ranking it at or near the top of lists highlighting television’s all-time best dramas, all-time best crime dramas, all-time best written shows, and all-time best cult shows, among others. Several outlets, including Rolling Stone , The Guardian , and BBC , have ranked it as the first- or second-best television series of all-time. Me, though? I didn’t get it as a captive viewer during lockdown when literally every little thing that could bring joy did bring joy, and I don’t get it today. HEREDITARY (2018) I’ll concede that this one, like The Wire , can possibly be attributed to overhype. When I saw Hereditary on opening night in 2018, it had already premiered at Sundance Film Festival. Reports out of Sundance were, literally, that it was “the scariest movie ever,” even causing people to pass out because it was so scary. Friends, this movie is not scary. Is it good? Sure. Creepy? Of course. Unsettling? Without a doubt. But scary? Nah. Make-you-pass-out scary? Hell nah. Obviously, fear is subjective, which makes my stance a tricky one, but Hereditary is near the top of almost every “Scariest Movie” ranking I’ve seen, which is wild to me. To clarify, I’m not talking about “Best Horror Movie” lists, where it also ranks pretty high usually, but “ Scariest Movie.” The Guardian , Rotten Tomatoes , Collider , Us Weekly , Time Out , Fangoria , and Screen Rant , just to name a few, have all named it amongst the scariest movies of all time. Even we, Bitesize Breakdown , ranked it number one despite it getting zero votes from me, Ru, or former writer Joseph (read “Bitesize Top Five: Scariest Movies” HERE ). In 2023, Broadband Choices conducted an experiment to gauge the scariest movies of all time based on viewers’ heart rates. Hereditary finished sixth. Please tell me, what is everyone so scared of? THE OFFICE (2005-2013) I generally do not like cringe humor or mockumentaries, which is why The Office never really worked for me. That said, I understand that aspect about myself, and I can’t fault people who do enjoy that kind of humor for liking The Office . I’ve even seen some hilarious clips and memes from the show, so I can see the appeal. It’s not a bad show at all; it’s just not for me. The thing I don’t get is how this fairly generic sitcom has grown to the point where people make it their entire personality. Why not arguably better sitcoms like Brooklyn Nine-Nine or 30 Rock ? I suppose you could say it’s for the same reasons that people dig into the IP fandoms I mentioned in the intro, but some of those have been around for nearly a century. Plus, they are grand, escapist mythologies about wizards, gods, superheroes, and other fantastical beings in far-off and interesting worlds. The Office is just a workplace comedy about a bland 9-5 life in Pennsylvania that, I think, a lot of real-life people actually hate living. But I’ve met people that only watch The Office . They’ll finish all 201 episodes, then start over at the beginning. Since it’s the only series they watch, it’s the only show they ever want to talk about. It’s the only pop culture thing they know how to reference. “Do you watch The Office ?” is a common introductory phrase. They write things like “looking for the Jim to my Pam” on dating profiles. They still think “that’s what she said” is the highest form of joke-making (which, okay, fair). I once worked with a guy that asked people to call him The Big Tuna. The Office is not a generational piece of groundbreaking media that has been passed down over the years, from our great grandparents in the 1930s to today’s youth, worthy of such high levels of adulation and, dare I say, idolatry. It’s just an NBC sitcom that ran for nine seasons, and a remade one at that. MOVIE 43 (2013) In the intro, I said I came up with three titles that seem to be loved by almost everyone but me. To show that crazy pills can go both ways, I decided to add a fourth bonus title that seems to be hated by almost everyone but me. If you haven’t seen Movie 43 , it’s an anthology comedy movie featuring 14 different skits, each from a different director, including Peter Farrelly, Elizabeth Banks, Brett Ratner, James Gunn, and Bob Odenkirk. The sprawling, A-list ensemble cast includes Banks, Odenkirk, Kristen Bell, Halle Berry, Gerard Butler, Kieran Culkin, Richard Gere, Terrence Howard, Hugh Jackman, Johnny Knoxville, Chris Pratt, Liev Schreiber, Emma Stone, Jason Sudeikis, Uma Thurman, Naomi Watts, Jeremy Allen White, Kate Winslet, and Julianne Moore, among many other well-known stars. However, despite all that talent, it is considered one of the worst movies ever made. It has a 5 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. It was nominated for five Razzies, including Worst Screen Combo for “the entire cast,” winning Worst Picture, Worst Director (for all 14 directors), and Worst Screenplay. Vue Weekly called it “death-of-laughter by committee.” Richard Roeper called it “the Citizen Kane of awful.” Elizabeth Weitzman of the New York Daily News said, "as a film critic, I've seen nearly 4,000 movies over the last fifteen years. Right now, I can't think of one worse than Movie 43 ." With such an esteemed pedigree, how is that even possible? I know every time I see Davis’ (Jackman) neck testicles (yes, you read that right)… or think about the Millers (Schreiber and Watts) homeschooling their son (Jeremy Allen White) with the “real high school experience”… or hear Coach Jackson’s (Howard) pep talk to his all-black basketball team about to play an all-white basketball team in the segregation era, I crack up. Anything with moments as funny as those, from well-respected people that talented, can’t truly be as hated and critically panned as people make it out to be. I’m not saying it’s the best movie ever, but as a comedy, it more than does its job, even if sporadically, meaning any talk of “worst movie ever” is flat out ridiculous. Who knows? Maybe I am the one on crazy pills.

Previous Next September 7, 2022 WRITTEN BY: THE BITESIZE CREW With The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, the D23 Expo, taking place this weekend, there has been a lot of speculation that Marvel Studios will finally announce the cast for the MCU's highly anticipated Fantastic Four film (releasing Nov. 8, 2024). Before that happens, we decided to have each writer Fantasy Cast their own Fantastic Four. The only rule was that the actors chosen couldn’t have been in any previous MCU films. Let’s see if any our picks make the final cut this weekend! William Jackson Harper - Reed Richards Lily James - Sue Storm Glenn Powell - Johnny Storm Alan Ritchson - Ben Grimm We have now been through three movies and two iterations of the Fantastic Four since 2005, and while some stars have emerged from these at-the-time up-and-coming actors (Chris Evans, Michael B. Jordan, Miles Teller), we have yet to get a cohesive group that allows the story to build momentum off of their dynamic. So, when making my fan cast, I not only wanted to have actors who truly fit their roles (I mean, Alan Ritchson’s depiction of Raphael in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is basically The Thing), but I also wanted it to feel like these characters really KNEW each other and encapsulated their relationships. Johnny and Ben really need to piss each other off. Sue and Reed should pull Paula Abdul-levels of opposites attract. Ben should be a permanent fixture at Reed’s back. Sue has to put Johnny in his place. These four actors seem perfect for their individual roles but can also make their costars' lights shine brighter. That’s what the MCU’s Fantastic Four needs to be, a sum that is greater than their fantastic individual parts. - Amarú Dev Patel - Reed Richards Britt Lower - Sue Storm Mike Faist - Johnny Storm Bill Skarsgård - Ben Grimm Without much in the way of comic knowledge or background, the team I have assembled for the rebirth of the Fantastic Four comes not from wish fulfilment or in-depth personal passions, but from my own experiences as a movie lover and critic for the past ten years. In my eyes, one can always cast these roles as part of a singular project, but all MCU fans know by now that Kevin Feige likes to keep these guys around for a long time. To that end, these selections are not merely reflective of or inspired by where each actor has been, but where they have the potential to go. We’ll almost surely be with these actors for the long haul, so whether the team is youthful or aged, growth is of the essence. And I truly believe that the group of actors I’ve selected will not only grow as performers by embodying these characters, but also grow closer as a team through this journey. - Jacob Penn Badgley - Reed Richards Alicia Vikander - Sue Storm Dacre Montgomery - Johnny Storm O’Shea Jackson Jr. - Ben Grimm The MCU is set to deliver one of its biggest tentpole films to date with Marvel's First Family, Fantastic Four , in 2024. With rumors swirling and speculations popping up everywhere over the past few years, including my choice of Penn Badgley as Mr. Fantastic, we all need to put into perspective who would actually be the perfect fit for this team. Let’s be honest, this isn't the first time that a movie has been made with these characters where the casting looked good on paper, but we need choices that will solidify this iconic team. While not being a superhero guru, I do believe my choices score a Perfect 10 at bringing a certain nuance and classic feel to the big screen. Ultimately, the final decision will come from Kevin Feige, but I feel that he has earned our trust thus far. That said, Mr. Feige, if you ever need another casting director, call me because, damn, my choices are smoking hot. - Paige Henry Cavill - Reed Richards Kristen Bell - Sue Storm John Boyega - Johnny Storm Pablo Schrieber - Ben Grimm I didn’t grow up a big comic guy, so, for better or worse, my Fantastic Four has largely been the Ioan Gruffudd-led team. That said, I expect Kevin Feige to reinvent and increase the importance of the MCU's edition. With the two leaders of the previous phases (Iron Man and Captain America) now departed, the stage is set for Reed Richards to step into that role and be a focal point moving forward. Over 29 films, the MCU has done its fair share of big-name casting (some great actors were lost to early and less significant roles), and they need to nail it with Reed in both scale and performance. This team is made to be a team. I think the chemistry between the four could be off the charts, finally giving the Fantastic Four the movie they deserve. - Nick Justin Theroux - Reed Richards Samara Weaving - Sue Storm Taron Egerton - Johnny Storm Ben Foster - Ben Grimm When it comes to dream casting, I’m always looking for actors who capture the complete essence of the characters being discussed. So, for Marvel’s First Family, that means using more than just Tim Story’s two mediocre movies from the early 2000s and Josh Trank’s 2015 disaster as reference points. I’m taking the comics, cartoons, movies, video games, action figures, and all that lore into account. Also, while I’m not opposed to race-swapping, my very simple brain will almost always cast people that look like the characters I’ve grown up with for 40 years, which is why I have the only all-white cast. Get mad at me for not embracing diversity if you want to, but it’s hard to argue with the team I came up with. - Quentin Darren Criss - Reed Richards Simone Ashley - Sue Storm Avan Jogia - Johnny Storm Gus Kenworthy - Ben Grimm I hoped to achieve something a little different with my list. Truth be told, the Fantastic Four has never interested me much, so I think the most exciting thing to do would be casting relative unknowns in hopes of making them household names while giving Marvel’s First Family a modern update. Considering their previous iterations, my primary concern was Sue and Johnny Storm. Sue has been woefully underused, while Chris Evans’ portrayal as Johnny still remains memorable. Because of that, I felt actors who were able to stand on their own and bring a different energy needed to be cast in those parts. The same goes for Reed Richards and Ben Grimm, but because I find both them both deeply uninteresting. This is why I think the MCU needs to swing for the fences to bring a young, unique, and diverse cast to shake things up. - Joseph Jamie Dornan - Reed Richards Evan Rachel Wood - Sue Storm LaKeith Stanfield - Johnny Storm Trevante Rhoades - Ben Grimm Past iterations of the Fantastic Four have been, how you say, not ideal. So, when assembling my dream team, I wanted to retain the good qualities of the early 2000s cast and nothing from Fant4stic . Some actors I chose because of their physical similarities, on top of just thinking that they would be a great fit. I also wanted to mix in potentially interesting interpretations, which made this exercise a lot more fun. Most importantly, when I put together this team, I wanted it to be actors that I can actually see in the role. I could have easily thought “Oh, I love Anya Taylor-Joy, so she should be Sue Storm,” but she just doesn’t feel right for the character. These are all actors I love but also can realistically see them in the role, wearing the iconic blue uniforms and nailing it. - Adriano

Previous Next November 29, 2023 WRITTEN BY: NICK AND QUENTIN Canceled. It's a word that has haunted television watchers for years. You get into a series, watch it for multiple seasons, and become invested in the characters just to have the rug pulled out from under you. But what about the good shows that never even get to that point? The series that are never given a chance to find their footing in spite of their cast and potential. Yes, these cancellations can happen due to poor ratings and low quality, but they can also be caused by lack of finances, behind-the-scenes turmoil, or a number of other varying reasons. "Canceled" has become synonymous with being “bad,” and that's just not always the case. Below, Nick and Quentin spotlight some of their favourite "One Season Wonders," those series that left a lasting impression despite the networks pulling the plug too soon. LIFE ON MARS (2008-2009) Synopsis: The story of New York City police detective Sam Tyler, who, after being struck by a car in 2008, regains consciousness in 1973. Based on the BAFTA-winning British show of the same name, the American remake of Life on Mars was lauded for its premise, acting, and accurate depiction of the ‘70s. Featuring a superb cast of Jason O’Mara, Academy Award Nominee Harvey Keitel, multi-Emmy Award Nominee Michael Imperioli, and Gretchen Mol, this series is a complex mishmash of genres, including thriller, mystery, sci-fi, and gritty police procedural. Sadly, the ambitious show was interrupted by a lengthy midseason hiatus, which was followed by a timeslot change. This caused ratings to plummet by nearly half, so naturally ABC canceled it. On the plus side, there is a silver lining. It was canceled early enough that producers had time to rewrite the planned season finale as a mostly satisfying series finale, leaving us with a terrific, 17-episode miniseries that functions as a testament to what might have been. THE PASSAGE (2019) Synopsis: When a botched U.S. government experiment turns a group of death row inmates into highly infectious vampires, an orphan girl might be the only person able to stop the ensuing crisis. As someone who grew up on Buffy the Vampire Slayer , I had an affinity for vampires before the Twilight craze hit. After Buffy , though, the focus leaned too heavily into the romance side of things ( Moonlight , The Vampire Diaries , True Blood ) and away from the more innovative ideas. Then FOX debuted the underseen series The Passage . Based on the Justin Cronin series of novels, The Passage provided a new twist on the genre, led by the perpetually underrated Mark-Paul Gosselaar and relative newcomer Saniyya Sidney (who went on to play Venus Williams in King Richard ). The series, which focused on a government project gone wrong that opened the door for a potential apocalypse, was like a shot of adrenaline. The storytelling was deliberate and well paced, while the action-packed sequences FOX has always been known for were present as well. Although it was viewed positively by both fans and critics alike, the ratings weren’t there, leading to another much-too-soon cancellation for a Gosselaar series. THE GOOD GUYS (2010) Synopsis: Washed-up detective Dan Stark teams up with young, by-the-book detective Jack Bailey in the police department's property crimes division. Their superior officer strives to keep them investigating seemingly minor crimes in order to keep the department out of trouble. Something of a mix between The Other Guys and The Nice Guys , The Good Guys soared on the comedic, against-type performance of multi-Emmy winning actor Bradley Whitford as Dan Stark, a washed-up, loose cannon cop who was hot shit in the 80s. The type of cop who relies on hunches, listens to Foghat, hides beer in his shampoo bottles, and uses his gun as a bottle opener. Whitford tackles the role with mustachioed aplomb. No disrespect to Colin Hanks, who plays the straight man incredibly well here, but this was Whitford’s series. On top of that, the basic intent of The Good Guys was a sort of satirical anti-thesis to the glut of CSI -inspired shows that still plague the airwaves today (there are running jokes about Stark not understanding “computer machines” and “smarty phones''), which, at the time, made it a fresh take on the cop procedural. The problem was that people just didn’t watch it since FOX aired it during the summer months - first on Mondays, then on Fridays, then on Saturdays. If you want your show to fail, that’s how you do it. STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP (2006) Synopsis: A behind-the-scenes look at a fictional sketch-comedy television show. While some of my entries for this article admittedly lean heavily on personal preference, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip is the one I think most deserved continuation. Set behind the scenes of a Saturday Night Live -style program, the series had a stacked cast of TV mainstays (Matthew Perry, Bradley Whitford, Sarah Paulson), interesting characters, and smart writing by one of the best to ever do it in Aaron Sorkin. The reason for its cancellation came down to poor timing. It was released alongside 30 Rock (another behind-the-scenes-of-an- SNL -style program, albeit a strict comedy), and it was decided there wasn’t room for such a similar series. Unfortunately, with all the talent involved, Studio 60 was the much more expensive venture, which led to its cancellation in spite of being a stronger ratings success than 30 Rock . Personally, I think the series was also undone by airing on network TV instead of a channel like HBO, where it would have been a better fit and likely could have had the success of another Sorkin series, The Newsroom . There’s no way to know if that’s the case, but it's been nice to see the series gain a bit of a second life following the death of Matthew Perry, as many are revisiting it as one of his best pieces of work, which it is. NO ORDINARY FAMILY (2010-2011) Synopsis: The story of the Powells, a typical American family living in Pacific Bay, California, whose members gain special powers after their plane crashes in the Amazon. Back when the MCU was just getting started, everyone was dipping their toes into the superhero pool, with many offerings being about generic heroes (i.e., not Marvel or DC). One such series was No Ordinary Family , which was essentially “live-action The Incredibles .” Family was generally well-received, with the San Francisco Chronicle saying, “there's lots of promise here, of drama, action, comedy, etc., all wrapped up in a family-friendly series.” The charming cast was led by Michael Chiklis and Julie Benz, but also featured a parade of people you’d recognize even if you don’t know their names. But for whatever reason, the audience didn’t latch on to it, with viewership dropping from 11 million to 3.5 million over the course of its 20 episodes. So, it’s not surprising that ABC canceled it within weeks of the season finale. The real shame is that it was maybe just ahead of its time because this series may have flourished if it premiered five years later. POWERLESS (2016) Synopsis: Follows the staff of an insurance company that specializes in products to protect defenseless bystanders from the collateral damage of superheroes and supervillains. Instead of going the CW route like many DC characters before it had, Powerless aired on NBC as the first DC Comics sitcom. It featured a charming ensemble cast, including Vanessa Hudgens in my personal favourite performance of hers, Danny Pudi coming off Community , and Alan Tudyk in a scene-stealing role as Van Wayne, Bruce’s cousin. Sadly, the series was marred by behind-the-scenes issues. The original pilot (shown at Comic-Con) was very well received, but after the creator left the project, it was largely re-shot as a shadow of what it was. The series did find its footing as it went on, but the early word of mouth was too much to overcome. At the height of the superhero craze, Powerless attempted to do something different within that universe, but all that’s left is its unrealized potential. MY OWN WORST ENEMY (2008) Synopsis: This drama follows a man with two identities: Henry Spivey, a mild-mannered family man, and Edward Albright, a covert operative who is trained to kill. Each identity is unaware of the other until the carefully constructed psychological wall between the two is breached. For a while, there was a running joke on the internet that you should never get too invested in a series starring Christian Slater. Between 2008-2015, Slater had three series canceled after one season (and a fourth that was canceled midway through Season Two). The first and best from this string of failures was My Own Worst Enemy . In what might be the most perfect example of a network not giving a series a fair shake, NBC canceled it after just four episodes despite critics calling it “smart and shrewdly funny” with a “charismatic” dual performance from Slater. The show also starred Bella Thorne, Taylor Lautner, Alfre Woodard, and James Cromwell, so a solid cast across the board, and its use of the “sleeper agent” idea to explore the duality of man and self-awareness was extremely clever. Sadly, the premise was just too complicated for your standard network television audience because the already-not-great ratings of the premiere dropped by almost half after four episodes. Then, once the cancellation was announced, viewers found little reason to continue devoting time to it despite featuring slick thrills, non-stop action, dark humor, and engaging twists. SON OF ZORN (2016) Synopsis: Animation and live-action collide when a cartoon Barbarian dad leaves his war-torn village to reconnect with his moody, non-animated teenage son in suburbia. A hybrid live-action/animated homage to He-Man and the Masters of the Universe , Son of Zorn was a fun weekly comedy. As an outsider, Jason Sudeikis’ real-life cartoon character (literally) Zorn brought forth tons of solid fish-out-of-water jokes as he would struggle with fitting in while the contrast between him and the Pleasantville -stylings of Tim Meadows’ Craig consistently provided laugh-out-loud moments. It’s as if Thor was funnier and had more teeth. Unfortunately, of my selections here, this is the cancellation I understand the most due to the limitations its rating provided. Were this a Netflix series with the ability to go all out, Son of Zorn could have been another of the great adult animated series. Instead, it failed, likely held back by network tv trappings. THE TICK (2001) Synopsis: Following the adventures of a wide-eyed, 7-foot, 400-pound superhero with nigh-invulnerability, superhuman strength, super speed, and the battle cry of "Spoooooon!," The Tick is a surrealistic parody of superheroes. Based on the comic book of the same name, The Tick is one of three attempts to adapt the cult classic hero for television. However, for my money, this short, single season is the best of the bunch, mostly thanks to Patrick Warburton’s iconic and pitch-perfect performance as the childlike and optimistic character. On top of that, you’ve got a pilot directed by the acclaimed Barry Sonnenfeld, production design from multi-Oscar and multi-Emmy Award nominee Bo Welch, and Nestor Carbonell as series’ original creation Batmanuel, a hilarious Latino parody of Batman. Despite receiving praise from fans and critics alike for its inventiveness and clever humor (Sonnenfeld has called it the best thing he has ever directed), FOX completely mismanaged the series, pitting it against massive ratings grabbers like Survivor and NBC’s “Must See TV” lineup of Friends and Will & Grace , as well as seemingly not knowing how to promote it in general (or simply not wanting to because they didn’t own it and it had high production costs). Sadly, it was canceled after eight of the nine episodes aired, but you can still buy this surprisingly enduring series on Prime for under $8. TERRA NOVA (2011) Synopsis: In the year 2149, a large group of settlers leave the apocalyptic world they live in to time travel 85 million years into the past in an attempt to start a new civilization. Did the Jurassic World franchise leave a bad taste in your mouth? If so, go back and check out Terra Nova . One of the few dinosaur-centric projects to hit the small screen, it focused on a group of people who travel back to prehistoric times in an attempt to recolonize a human race facing extinction. Executive produced by none other than Steven Spielberg, Terra Nova featured the likes of Jason O’Mara (who has made this list twice!), Stephen Lang, Naomi Scott, and Shelley Conn in a thrilling dinosaur adventure with both the effects and unique plot needed to succeed. Unfortunately, the series was very uneven out of the gate, and though it hit its stride in the final episodes, it was too little, too late. It was promptly canceled due to low ratings and high costs. The path to Season Two renewed excitement in fans and critics alike, which even led to Netflix expressing interest in picking it up, but the high costs per episode were just too much to justify the renewal. Still, one worth searching out. Honorable Mentions: The Adventures of Brisco Country Jr., The Michael J. Fox Show, The Unusuals, Reboot Video Credits: Video 1, 5 - ABC; Photo 2, 3, 8, 9, 10 - FOX; Photo 4, 6, 7 - NBC

Previous October 24, 2025 Next A BITESIZE CHAT WITH CHRIS STUCKMANN After a record-breaking Kickstarter campaign, Chris Stuckmann joins Nick to talk about Shelby Oaks , his approach to directing horror films, and explains that we may not be done with the town of Shelby Oaks quite yet. Make sure to check out Shelby Oaks now in theatres. Interview conducted on October 16th, 2025 by Nick van Dinther.