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THE INSTITUTE: SEASON ONE Starring: Ben Barnes, Joe Freeman, Simone Miller, Fionn Laird, Hannah Galway, Julian Richings, Robert Joy, Martin Roach, and Mary-Louise Parker Creator: Benjamin Cavell QUENTIN On paper, The Institute has quite a bit going for it, including an interesting premise from Stephen King and a creepy actor or two that play in the “nefarious experiments” sandbox pretty well. Plus, who doesn’t like Mary-Louise Parker? However, the terrible writing, uninteresting protagonists, sluggish pacing, competing storylines, and general YA-ness of it all make for a yawn-inducing viewing experience. It seemingly wants to be a mix between The New Mutants and Stranger Things — which, again, not a bad idea for a show — but it’s too pedestrian to conjure real intrigue in the mystery it’s peddling and too neutered to generate any true dread.

THE PERFECT COUPLE Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Eve Hewson, Dakota Fanning, Jack Reynor, Billy Howle, Meghann Fahy, Donna Lynne Champlin, Michael Beach, Ishaan Khattar, Sam Nivola, and Mia Isaac Creator: Jenna Lamia QUENTIN The latest in the recent trend of “Nicole Kidman plays an unhappy, rich white woman with secrets,” The Perfect Couple feels too much like other shows to stand on its own. If you’ve seen Big Little Lies or The White Lotus , you’ve already seen everything this series has to offer…and seen it done better. However, at only six episodes, it’s not a waste of time. The whodunnit is interesting enough, and while I wouldn’t call it twisty, there are enough well-timed revelations to reel you in despite the underdeveloped characters. Overall, it’s like a dime-store beach read — an instantly forgettable yet easily entertaining (and predictable) distraction.

YELLOWJACKETS: SEASON THREE Starring: Melanie Lynskey, Christina Ricci, Tawny Cypress, Lauren Ambrose, Simone Kessell, Sophie Thatcher, Sophie Nélisse, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Courtney Eaton, Samantha Hanratty, Liv Hewson, Steven Krueger, Warren Kole, Sarah Desjardins, Kevin Alves, Elijah Wood, and Hilary Swank Creators: Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson PAIGE The third season of Yellowjackets is even darker, bloodier, and more intense than its last. With top tier performances from the ensemble and compelling plots, the series has moved beyond mere survival to dive deeper into the lasting impact the horrifying events have had on these characters and the past demons that are now catching up to haunt them. This season blends psychological horror with deep emotional insight, making it the most mind-bending and daring outing thus far. Although I still crave more answers, I am eating up this mystery. KATIE The third season of Yellowjackets is fantastic, but also the most inconsistent so far. Some of the writing decisions were questionable, and it felt like the writers forgot about some plots and character dynamics from previous seasons and were somewhat improvising. Nonetheless, it still boasts one of the strongest casts on TV, with my personal favourites being Sophie Thatcher and Melanie Lynskey. The story is still compelling too, with genuine scares and gore, intense emotional drama, and an anarchic sense of humour. I’m hoping that next season will address the inconsistencies, but it's still undeniably entertaining and has me looking forward to what comes next. Check out our reviews for Season Two HERE .

THE WALKING DEAD: DEAD CITY: SEASON TWO Starring: Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Lauren Cohan, Logan Kim, Zeljko Ivanek, Lisa Emery, Gaius Charles, Mahina Napoleon, Dascha Polanco, Keir Gilchrist Jasmin Walker, and Kim Coates Creator: Eli Jorne NICK Part of the reason I continued watching The Walking Dead and its spin-offs was the creation of characters I'm invested in. With Dead City , I find myself annoyed with these new additions more than anything else (save for Kim Coates' Bruegel). The mafia parallels and the introduction of Conscription are interesting, but much like Daryl Dixon , this doesn’t match the strong debut season. Having said that, this is much better than Dixon’s sophomore effort, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan remains infinitely watchable as Negan. I don’t know where this is going, but it feels time for these side series to converge back into one. Check out our reviews for Season One HERE .

BREEDERS: THE FINAL SEASON Starring: Martin Freeman, Daisy Haggard, Oscar Kennedy, Zoë Athena, Alun Armstrong, and Joanna Bacon Creators: Martin Freeman, Chris Addison, and Simon Blackwell QUENTIN In its fourth and final season (sadly, another great show ending this year), Breeders continues to be the best exploration of a multi-generational family on television, succeeding at being everything Modern Family wished it was. This year, we get another time jump, which means Paul (Martin Freeman) and Ally’s (Daisy Haggard) kids, who were grade-schoolers in Season One, are now on the verge of adulthood. This was the perfect approach for the final season, as it brings many of the series’ themes full circle, really driving home the point that “breeders” are how the whole darned human comedy keeps perpetuating itself. I’ll miss The Worsleys.

YELLOWJACKETS: SEASON TWO Starring: Melanie Lynskey, Tawny Cypress, Sophie Nélisse, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Sophie Thatcher, Samantha Hanratty, Steven Krueger, Warren Kole, Christina Ricci, Juliette Lewis, Courtney Eaton, Liv Hewson, Kevin Alves, Simone Kessell, Lauren Ambrose, and Elijah Wood Creators: Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson PAIGE Season Two of Yellowjackets has lost some steam after such a spectacular first season, mostly by lacking the mystery that Season One told so well. At this point, I’m left much more invested in the teens’ storyline since that is where the power of the show is truly held. That said, even though this season ends with a thud, absent a real cliffhanger for our adult Yellowjackets, it doesn’t take away from the fact that Yellowjackets continues to be an intriguing show that flip-flops between past to present storylines. There is also no denying that the stacked, female-led cast all continue to deliver magnificent performances. ADRIANO Yellowjackets’ second season proves that, sometimes, more isn’t always better. The first season's high-octane insanity served the more contained narrative well, whereas here, it feels just a tad off-the-walls. The series is simply juggling too much. The younger Yellowjackets’ plotline remains the juice of the show, but the adult Yellowjackets’ story has lost me. That said, it’s mysterious when it wants to be, thrilling when it needs to be, and all-in-all, entertaining throughout; that ensemble can’t get any better either, so it’s still a worthwhile season of television, nonetheless.

THE GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY HOLIDAY SPECIAL Starring: Pom Klementieff, Dave Bautista, Chris Pratt, Kevin Bacon, Karen Gillan, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Sean Gunn, Maria Bakalova, and Michael Rooker Director: James Gunn AMARÚ Mantis (Pom Klementieff) and Drax (Dave Bautista) are the perfect focal point for The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special because their wide-eyed, childlike ridiculousness brings all the heart you need to overlook the light human-trafficking occurring on screen. Only James Gunn could write and direct a plot to kidnap Kevin Bacon (playing himself), and make you feel the Christmas spirit the whole way through. He’s a master at tugging heartstrings in the unlikeliest of situations, and here is no different. This Holiday Special is weird and whimsical, and it will surprise you in more ways than one. JACOB The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special may overuse a few jokes here and there, but it’s still a rollicking good time, especially for fans of these characters. The story mostly revolves around Mantis (Pom Klementieff) and Drax (Dave Bautista) attempting to kidnap Kevin Bacon (as himself), but it’s Klementieff who gets the acting spotlight for these 45 minutes. There are some pretty huge revelations that should maybe have been saved for one of the MCU’s feature films, but apart from that, this is a holiday special Disney can be proud of (sprinkled with a few fun cameos). QUENTIN Just so you know, I’m not a huge Christmas guy. Like, I enjoy the gift-giving aspect of it, but I don’t get into the pomp and circumstance of decorating a tree and the forced Hallmark-ness of it all. It’s just not my thing. That said, the MCU’s first Christmas special is a charmingly goofy delight. Sure, it’s slight, but everything about it comes together really well, especially as they manage to balance the heartwarming aspects with director James Gunn’s typical comedic shenanigans. Also, from a broader MCU perspective, Mantis (Pom Klementieff) finally becomes a fully fleshed-out character, and who doesn’t want more Yondu (Michael Rooker)? PAIGE Ho! Ho! Ho! The Guardians of the Galaxy are back with a cheerful holiday special that is the most heartwarming MCU entry thus far. It’s the merriest special that feels like an immediate holiday classic. I truly had a blast, and I believe this gem could put any grinch in the Christmas spirit. There are a ton of delightful and hilarious moments, led by the dynamic duo of Drax (Dave Bautista) and Mantis (Pom Klementieff), delivering us the perfect holiday gift…Kevin Bacon (as himself)!

THE RIGHTEOUS GEMSTONES: SEASON TWO Starring: Danny McBride, John Goodman, Adam Devine, Edi Patterson, Tony Cavalero, Cassidy Freeman, Skyler Gisondo, Walton Goggins, Gregory Alan Williams, Tim Baltz, Jennifer Nettles, Eric André, and Eric Roberts Creator: Danny McBride QUENTIN Mixing the dysfunctional family dynamics of Succession with the vulgar comedy of Eastbound & Down , The Righteous Gemstones is a hilarious takedown of those who preach the gospel while being absolutely terrible people. This season’s plot doesn’t always come together as perfectly as the first season’s, but this is a series built more on cast chemistry and raunchy banter than the actual story. And while it’s very much a Danny McBride vehicle, the entire ensemble complement each other flawlessly to create characters that are absurdly over the top yet still relatable. It remains one of the funniest shows on television.

THE FULL MONTY Starring: Robert Carlyle, Mark Addy, Talitha Wing, Paul Clayton, Lesley Sharp, Steve Huison, and Paul Barber Creators: Simon Beaufoy and Alice Nutter AMARÚ The Full Monty series suffers from banking on nostalgia that just isn’t there, dropping us in the middle of both old and new characters’ stories without preamble. It simply takes way too long to start caring for characters that are honestly very well-rounded. Mark Addy (Dave) is delightful in his return, and Talitha Wing (Destiny) is a captivating new cast member; however, storylines start and stop so unceremoniously that you don’t have time to sit with anyone. The cast is likable, the humor is charming, and the themes are relatable, but The Full Monty never catches enough momentum to fully get going.

Previous Next September 28, 2025 In a year where Warner Bros. has brought hit after hit, they have seemingly released another critical hit with One Battle After Another, an action-crime drama from the mind of Paul Thomas Anderson, featuring the talents of Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Teyana Taylor, Regina Hall, Benecio Del Toro, and relative newcomer Chase Infiniti. Join Nick, Amarú, and Matt as they dive further into the twists and turns the story takes, the performances from this star-studded ensemble, and what this film could potentially do come awards season. Click HERE to subscribe to our YouTube channel for all of our latest video content including our Early Reactions, and be sure to give us a thumbs up and comment your thoughts!

IN THE KNOW: SEASON ONE Starring: Zach Woods, J. Smith-Cameron, Charlie Bushnell, Caitlin Reilly, Carl Tart, and Mike Judge Creators: Mike Judge, Zach Woods, and Brandon Gardner QUENTIN While this brand of dry satire may not be for everyone, In the Know is a laugh-out-loud, stop-motion skewering of public radio and the well-meaning-but-ultimately-performative woke. To be clear, it’s not a takedown of wokeness, but of the super-far-left individuals who say and believe all the right things while obliviously doing the complete opposite. For example, Lauren Caspian (Silicon Valley ’s Zach Woods) is the type of guy who will forcefully talk over every woman in the room to let them know he understands how they feel when men talk over them. Show co-creator Mike Judge has always been a hitmaker, and that seemingly hasn’t changed.

Previous Next As Dungeons & Dragons is the latest installment to try and break the "game movie trend", the Bitesize crew has put their brains together to compile Bitesize Breakdown's consensus Top Five Childhood Game 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. GAME NIGHT Game Night is the kind of studio comedy that we need to see more often, in that it’s truly funny, is filled to the brim with dark comedy, and is unique in its concept and execution. The film offers plenty of twists and turns as we watch the fun cast of characters have a game night to remember. It’s the kind of movie that has so many creative choices and visual gags that you’ll want to see it in the most crowded theatre you can find in order to experience the infectious laughter. - Adriano 4. READY PLAYER ONE Ready Player One is a nostalgic thrill ride directed by one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, Steven Spielberg. This book adaptation is sprinkled with countless cameos from some of our favorite fictional characters, and you can’t help but to fall into a trance with this flick. The tremendous visual effects make The OASIS feel incredibly real, leaving us to wish that we could take the leap into that virtual reality world and experience the video game for ourselves. - Paige 3. TRON Whether your introduction to The Grid was 1982’s Tron or 2010’s Tron: Legacy , there is no denying that these films are amongst the few to truly make viewers feel like they are inside a video game. Story excellence aside, both films were groundbreaking in terms of special effects. Tron pioneered the use of CGI (fun fact: Tron wasn’t nominated for the Best Special Effects Oscar because The Academy thought the filmmakers “cheated” by using computers), and Legacy is one of the first films to fully embrace de-aging technology. They walked…while absolutely killing it in the process…so your favorite movies of the last 40 years could run. - Quentin 2. CLUE I wish I had been old enough to see Clue in theaters enough times to catch each alternate ending, then argue with my friends about which one was the right one. Instead, I grew up singing along with that bop of a melody as the titles explained over and over how the killer was Colonel… no Prof Pl… no Ms. Pea… well, nevermind. This hilarious, exquisitely paced, well-crafted, and never-endingly quotable whodunit is too good to spoil, even if it is older than me. So, instead, I think I’ll just go home and sleep with my wife. - Amarú 1. JUMANJI For me, there was never a question as to what deserved to be at the top of this list. Jumanji uses Robin Williams' enigmatic energy alongside some fantastic practical effects to create a memorable adventure. Be it the beating of the drum, the lion's tail sweeping across the piano, or David Alan Grier's distressed screams, this film is timeless. Knowing this, the sequels have flipped the script by showing you the inside of the game and the jungle itself instead of a rehash. This has let the sequels standalone while playing tribute to the original. - Nick HONORABLE MENTIONS WRECK-IT RALPH READY OR NOT SONIC THE HEDGEHOG FREE GUY MORTAL KOMBAT (1995) Photo Credits: Photo 1 - Sony Pictures Releasing; Photo 2 - Paramount Pictures; Photo 3 - Disney; Photo 4, 5 - Warner Bros.