Previous December 31, 2024 Next A BITESIZE CHAT WITH DAVID ARQUETTE David Arquette (Scream, Never Been Kissed, Eight Legged Freaks ) joins us to talk about his documentary You Cannot Kill David Arquette and his return to the squared circle. BB: Hi, David, and thanks for sitting down with Bitesize Breakdown. I’d like to start by asking if this film was always going to be about your time in wrestling? Or was the initial intent to focus on your life and it just turned that way? DA: No, it was always supposed to be about wrestling. I did know that I wanted to be honest, vulnerable, open, and really allow people into my life. They really did it, and, you know, when you’re open, it’s hard… it’s hard for me to watch. I can’t watch some of the scenes. It's really difficult, and I did want to talk about stuff I’ve been going through. I think it's important to talk about things like that so that if anyone else is going through something like that, they feel and understand [that] they’re not alone. DA: It’s a really tricky world to be caught up in, and we’re all trying to figure out what we’re doing here and how to find happiness. It's an anxious world and a depressing world at times, so when you can find things that make you happy and feel content and not feel alone, I think that’s important. BB: The title of the documentary comes from The Black Math Experiment song of the same name, but it also fittingly describes your mindset over the last decade or so. Whether you’re auditioning or training for the ring, where do you draw your perseverance from in life to keep on pushing what you're doing? DA: I’m inspired by a lot of things. Nature is a big inspiration for me. Love is a big inspiration for me. I want to make my kids proud. I want to be happy, so I try to do things that I enjoy, that I have a love for. That’s sort of why I wanted to go back to wrestling ‘cause it's something I’ve always loved, and I was hated for my time there. DA: So, I really wanted to go back there and prove myself so that people just could understand that I didn’t mean to dishonor wrestling. Wrestling really is a lot about honor and respect, and the people who are involved in it have dedicated their lives to it. So I wanted to do something that was a love letter to wrestling. BB: In the film, you go through a pretty drastic physical transformation. What were some challenges and benefits that you found in getting so fit? DA: So I used DDPY, which is Diamond Dallas Page’s Yoga, but it's not really yoga; it’s yoga and strength training. That helped me get inspired to start my weight loss and get me prepared for taking bumps in the ring. After that, I worked with Rigan Machado doing Jiu-Jitsu, Ricky Quiles doing boxing, and Peter Avalon as a trainer. It was really great to get out there and do all that cardio; then you have to change your diet. DA: I went on a zero-carb diet for months and months. You reduce the size of your meals, you eat smaller meals throughout the day, and you don't eat a big meal for dinner ever. It's best if you don't have anything to eat three hours before you go to bed. It's just stuff like that. It was hard, but something, as an actor, you kind of learn how to do. You have to lose weight for parts or put on weight, which is always kind of harder in a weird way, because you have to take it off at some point. But, yeah, it taught me a lot about discipline. It taught me a lot about getting in the mindset of an athlete. BB: I want to ask about Ready to Rumble , which obviously was a big part of why you got into the WCW in the first place. As a wrestling fan yourself, what was the experience like making that movie? Do you have anything you wish you could have done differently with it? What were your general feelings on that film at the time and even now? DA: When I first read it, it was, like, page 8, and it said “Macho Man Randy Savage.” So, I called my agent, and I was, like, “Do they have Macho Man Randy Savage for this movie?” They [said], “Yeah, he signed up,” and I [said], “I’ll do it! I love, love the idea of it.” At the end of the movie, I become “The Law.” I’m a wrestler that goes out with the [other] wrestlers to become a wrestler, so I think that is sort of where part of the germ of the idea in bringing me into the WCW [came from]. DA: For whatever reason, they made me the champion. [Former WCW writer] Vince Russo says part of the idea came from him seeing me backstage, getting everyone’s autograph on a kid’s belt, and he was, like, “oh… this guy’s really a wrestling fan!” I think it kind of led to them wanting this angle where I somehow became the champion, and it just set up what Diamond Dallas Page and Jeff Jarrett were doing; but the audience really didn't appreciate that storyline. You know, it was sad. I thought Ready to Rumble was a fun movie, and it didn’t really do that well at the box office, so I wanted to also do this as kind of an unofficial sequel to Ready to Rumble . BB: Your experience in the WCW kind of branded you “the most hated man in wrestling.” Going into this film, you're setting yourself up for a bit of criticism by documenting it and exposing yourself in the movie. What was your biggest fear going into this experience and in making it a documentary? DA: Well, one of the crazy things is I don’t really let fear drive me at all. I’m not really afraid of many things. I don’t know… it's a little weird that way. I think it makes it a little more dangerous, to be honest with you. If you’re not fearful of certain things, you probably wouldn't put yourself in certain positions like I did. DA: I don't know, I just wanted to come back and prove myself. I wanted to do it for myself, for wrestling, to sort of write this love letter to wrestling. And, also, I was just sick of being bullied. You know, the thing about when people say mean things online, it really hurts if you believe it too. I was kind of telling myself the same things they were saying, and I had to learn through this process to stop beating myself up and really being, as corny as it sounds, being kinder to myself. BB: What do you think people who don't enjoy wrestling could get out of your movie? DA: I think people are really quick to write wrestling off as either for kids or it’s not real or whatever they want to say, but it takes a tremendous amount of athletic ability. You have to be tougher than anything than I can imagine. I mean, it is just such a painful sport. It really pushes you. It's really difficult to… you know, the way these guys travel all the time. I just have the utmost respect for them. DA: If anything, I would just love to see guys like Ric Flair or Stone Cold Steve Austin get, like, a regular job on a CBS drama or something. They’re just such funny, full of life characters, and it just really would be amazing to give them an opportunity to act. We had the great opportunity of working with Mick Foley on 12 Hour Shift , and he's a tremendous actor; really great character and I just think there's so much room for these guys to break into Hollywood. BB: You mentioned reading the script for Ready to Rumble and being sort of impressed that Macho Man was going to be in the movie. Growing up, who were your top three wrestling icons and why? DA: Growing up, I was always a Hulkamaniac. I just love Hulk Hogan, and his relationship with the fans is like nothing I’ve ever seen. I love Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka; he jumped off the top rope and that's why I jump off the top rope to the outside of the ring. I also love Junkyard Dog, [he] was one of my favorites. He's just so fun. DA: There's an amazing wrestler now named Willie Mack, who is just such an incredible wrestler. I hope he gets picked up by...one of the big places and shows up there ‘cause Willie Mack is just one of the greatest wrestlers that I was able to share a card with. BB: You’re pretty much your own action hero in this documentary. Is there any future for you in action movies or is there a superhero you'd like to play? DA: Well, interestingly, I was just offered an action movie. I was reading through some of the scenes, and… I dont know… it’s just guns and all this stuff. I don't know what I want to do, but I’m not sure I want to just do, like, gun toting and shooting. There just has to be more of a story involved or something. I like action movies, you know, somewhat, but I'm not really a big action movie guy. I mean, it'd be nice to be able to do that, but I just don’t know. It's so weird, such a weird time in the world. I don't know if I want to be running around with guns in this climate. BB: Finally, when will we be able to see you in the ring again? And what do you think your wrestling career will look like in the future? DA: I don’t know if I’ll get back in the ring again. I really love wrestling when I'm wrestling as a tag team with RJ City. We have a really fun dynamic, and it makes for a safer experience. Whenever I wrestle alone, I tend to get hurt. He kind of protects me in that way, but I don't know if I’ll be wrestling again anytime soon. I do love it, but I do feel like this movie kind of exists in its own world. I think it might be best if I let it live there. Make sure to check out You Cannot Kill David Arquette now on VOD. Interview conducted on August 19th, 2020 by Joseph Ruiz. Photo Credits: Banner - Taylor Jewell/Invision/AP; Photo 1 - Elevation Pictures; Photo 2 - Warner Bros.

BABY REINDEER Starring: Richard Gadd, Jessica Gunning, Nava Mau, Tom Goodman-Hill, and Nina Sosanya Creator: Richard Gadd QUENTIN Baby Reindeer wasn’t on my radar until it became the buzziest Netflix show since Tiger King . I’m so glad I jumped in blind, and even more glad that I listened to the internet because it’s a tremendously complex tale of obsession and how abuse can shape a person. Through a collection of contradictions — painful, yet funny; hard to watch, yet spellbinding; empathetic, yet prompting judgment — creator/writer/star Richard Gadd tells an autobiographical tale that is incredibly raw, honest, emotional, and intimate. Fair (trigger) warning for those who have experienced sexual assault, but Reindeer is a revelation and one of the year’s best series. Sent from my iPhone. KATIE Baby Reindeer is an impressive mix of disturbing, heartbreaking, darkly comedic, thought-provoking, and always deeply compelling. It’s one of the most original TV shows I’ve seen. I was constantly shocked by the decisions of the characters, having no idea which direction each episode would take. Our central characters are multi-faceted and morally complex, and it delves deep into the unpredictable impact of internalising trauma and experiencing abuse. It’s unbelievable the show is not only based on true events, but an autobiographical account of star and creator Richard Gadd’s experiences. It's likely one of my favourite shows of the year. CALEB I went into Baby Reindeer expecting more of the usual true-crime, docu-drama shlock that Netflix churns out on the regular, but damn was I mistaken. This disturbing autobiographical story hooked me from the very first episode and refused to let go. Creator/star/writer Richard Gadd provides an incredibly intimate, fearless portrayal of himself, but it’s Jessica Gunning who steals the show as his obsessive stalker, Martha. She delivers a powerhouse showing that’s demented, hilarious, sympathetic, and utterly terrifying all at once. With amazing performances, clever editing, creative cinematography, and fantastic writing, Baby Reindeer is a must-watch.

THE CONSULTANT: SEASON ONE Starring: Christoph Waltz, Nat Wolff, Brittany O’Grady, and Aimee Carrero Creator: Tony Basgallop QUENTIN Despite an unnervingly menacing performance from Christoph Waltz, The Consultant will give you narrative blue balls. The first episode is excellent, setting the stage for a mystery about who (or what) Waltz’s Regus Patoff is. With each passing episode, further questions are asked that excellently build the tension and mystery. It’s all very absorbing. However, the series doesn’t answer a single goddamn question posed, providing absolutely zero closure. It’s been a long time since I’ve been this angry and frustrated by an ending, and as the final credits rolled, the first thing out of my mouth was “fuck that damn show.” I stand by it.

Previous Next October 5, 2024 WRITTEN BY: QUENTIN Although Halloween candy and pumpkin paraphernalia have been taking up shelf space in stores since August, October has only just begun — meaning the spooky season is ramping up in earnest. It’s the special time of year when people ponder their most clever costume ideas while catching up on their favorite scary movies. As I get older, I have taken a step back from such things, but it’s still wildly popular for most (younger) people. Incidentally, that general notion could describe my thoughts on horror as a genre. Look, I love good horror, but the operative word is “good.” So many recent horror movies are cheap schlock churned out by studios like Blumhouse because they know horror-heads are perhaps the least discerning movie fans on the planet. I mean, how else can you explain Imaginary , which was roundly criticized, making a 283 percent return on its budget? On one hand, I get it. It’s just smart business. Grab a low-cost cast, throw some lazy jump scares at them, and maybe you can stumble into a franchise, à la M3GAN . Several relative hits like that can make up for one big flop. On the other hand…man, those lowest-common-denominator movies suck. Imaginary , The Strangers: Part One , and Night Swim were all box office hits in 2024 despite being widely panned. Now, that’s not to say all recent horror is terrible. We’ve also seen Longlegs , Oddity , The Substance , and Strange Darling released this year, and they are *chef’s kiss*. Honestly, with just those four movies alone, 2024 has proven to be uncharacteristically strong on horror — for me, anyway. That’s how bad it’s gotten in my eyes. As such, since I’ve become less and less enamored with most horror movies, I started thinking about my best experiences with the genre, and the movies that gave me a true visceral reaction. Whether it was a tangible response to a jump scare or just a palpable feeling of uneasiness, the movies below are the ones that put the “scare” in “scary movie.” Again…for me . Or at least they did when I first watched them, which brings up another consideration. Fear is so damn subjective. When it comes to horror movies, there are so many outside factors contributing to whether they work. Everything from age to the physical location in which you’re having the experience matter. Personal phobias, relatability, and one’s mental state also play a role. For example, a lot of people consider The Exorcist the scariest movie of all time, but I was 20 years old when I first saw it, and I watched it on a brightly lit Saturday afternoon in a communal dayroom, so very hard meh. That said, I readily admit that by my late teens, most of the internal fears that a movie might be able to tap into had long been burned out of me. That’s what happens when your parents let you watch whatever you want when you are eight years old, with the only guidance being, “if you have nightmares, that’s your problem to deal with. You chose this.” So, with that in mind, you’ll notice this list comes almost exclusively from the 1980s. What can I say? Things were scarier when I was an impressionable kid. Also, just to clarify, this isn’t a list of “best” horror movies, so there is no It Follows , Get Out, or Psycho — horror movies that have almost no flaws other than not being scary in the traditional sense. There also aren’t any of the critical darling horror movies that people rave about while I defiantly tell anyone who will listen that they are wack (looking at you, Hereditary and The Witch ). Truthfully, I’m not even sure “favorite” fully applies because I’m a huge fan of The Others , The Descent , and Frailty , but they didn’t elicit scares out of me in the ways the films below did. No, these are the movies and specific images that generally come to mind when people ask, “what is the scariest movie you’ve ever seen?” JAWS (1975) Fun fact about me: I can barely swim and I’m terrified of large bodies of water, and I’m sure that is in no small part due to watching Jaws when I was maybe six years old (there is also a story about me nearly drowning in a kiddie pool when I was a young toddler, but I digress…). This Steven Spielberg-classic is pure unadulterated terror, made all the more frightening by the reality that nature is often scarier than anything we can imagine. I mean, imagine seeing a movie nearly 40 years ago, and memories of it still feed a subconscious fear to not do something as innocuous as “go in the water.” It’s like Family Guy said, “Damn, Nature! You scary!!” POLTERGEIST (1982) & POLTERGEIST III (1988) This is a two-fer. Actual plot points aside, Poltergeist broadly revolves around a young girl trapped inside a television by evil spirits. Do you know how scary that was for me, a similarly aged child who spent all his time watching TV? My childhood brain conjured all the scenarios in which that could eventually happen to me. That doesn’t even get into the clown doll, skeleton-filled coffins popping out of the ground, or Zelda Rubinstein, who, for whatever reason, creeped me out as a child. Speaking of people creeping me out… Nathan Davis in Poltergeist III as the evil Rev. Henry Kane gave me nightmares for weeks. He was (is?) one of the most fright-inducing people I had ever seen in my life, and his unsettling singing of “God is in his holy temple” gave me the heebie-jeebies. For the record, Poltergeist II is no slouch, either. A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 3: DREAM WARRIORS (1987) Of the famed ‘80s slasher franchises, Elm Street was the one I experienced last, and it was easily the scariest. Even as a kid, I was never really scared by Jason Voorhees because I knew, logically, I could just leave Crystal Lake and I’d be fine. With Freddy Krueger, however, I couldn’t not sleep. In fact, I’d get in trouble if I didn’t go to bed on time. That meant there was no escape. Dream Warriors was my entry into the Elm Street series, and between Freddy’s burnt visage, the razor glove, gruesome death sequences (one of which also involves a television set, incidentally), and the memorable “One, Two, Freddy’s coming for you,” it quite literally made me wet the bed at seven years old. Special shoutout to Dokken for the kickass title track. PET SEMATARY (1989) Maaaan…this movie messed me up when I was a kid, and it did so with a multi-pronged approach. Victor Pascow (Brad Greenquist), the ghost of a jogger who died after being hit by a truck, so his brain is just hanging out for all to see? Horrifying. The fog-filled atmosphere of the titular cemetery? Creepy. Angry zombie cat? I had a cat, so this wasn’t helpful. A young, reanimated Gage (Miko Hughes) taking people down with a scalpel, most notably by slicing through an Achilles tendon in one instance? Just no, hard nope all around on that one. I mean, even just the look of Fred Gwynne’s big head and his booming southern drawl…unsettling, to say the least. All that is to say, overall, given the context in which I saw this movie around 1990, it might be the scariest movie I’ve ever seen. FINAL DESTINATION (2000) & FINAL DESTINATION 2 (2003) Like Poltergeist , this is another two-fer. This thing is… this is more about the events that occurred after I saw Final Destination than the movie itself because, let’s face it, it’s not all that scary. However, after watching 98-minutes of various chain reactions kill a bunch of people in increasingly gnarly ways, it rightfully put me on edge. Every randomly loud noise was magnified, from a dog barking to a kid dropping his soda in the lobby, even more so because it was about 2:00am in the relatively quiet neighborhood of Pacific Grove, California. As I’m walking to my car, out of nowhere, there was a jarringly loud car accident about half a block away. No one was hurt, thankfully, but it nearly made me poop my pants as I stood in the street waiting for whatever knock-on effect was going to result in “death finding a way” on me. I drove home in silence, probably as the most attentive driver I had ever been in my entire life. Then, a few years later, Final Destination 2 comes out. While I don’t remember much about it, I remember the opening sequence. And more than 20 years later, I still refuse to drive behind logging trucks. Anything that has stuck with me for that long warrants a mention here.

Previous Next March 15, 2024 WRITTEN BY: AMARÚ In 2023, Guillermo del Toro (affectionately known as GdT) made a brilliant and much needed statement after Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (which, by the way…can we just acknowledge how legendary it is that none of us batted an eye when GdT put his name at the front of that title) won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature. He vehemently went to bat for an often-overlooked cinematic medium, stating, “Animation is cinema.” He continued, “Animation is not a genre. Animation is ready to be taken to the next step. We are all ready for it. Keep animation in the conversation.” If you know me, you know animation is always in the conversation when discussing my best movies of the year. I’ve been ready for animation to be taken much more seriously for decades now. Year after year, I feel there are animated features that are just as good, if not better, than many of the Oscars’ Best Picture nominees. Still, like GdT intimated, animation does not get the respect it rightfully deserves, with only three animated movies being nominated for the top prize in the Oscars’ 96 years, and the most recent being 2010’s Toy Story 3. So, here I am, yet again, striving to keep the conversation going. Listed below are five* films from my lifetime that deserved much more appreciation from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Quick note, though… There are, of course, plenty of animated films I haven’t seen, most notably those from Studio Ghibli. While I respect the few I have seen, including a current Best Animated Feature nominee that I don’t personally consider to be one of the top seven animated films of 2023, I have never been able to truly connect with them. Please don’t come at me for the lack of films outside the popular zeitgeist, but instead let me know what animated films you believe should have been nominated for Best Picture. Educate me. Without further ado, and since I already mentioned it, let’s begin with… GUILLERMO DEL TORO’S PINOCCHIO Release Year: 2022 Best Picture Nominees: Everything Everywhere All at Once , All Quiet on the Western Front , Avatar: The Way of Water , The Banshees of Inisherin , Elvis , The Fabelmans , Tar , Top Gun: Maverick , Triangle of Sadness , Women Talking Best Picture Nominee(s) that Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio should have replaced: Elvis , Tar Yea, sure, both Austin Butler and Cate Blanchett went hard in their respective titular roles, but Elvis is overindulgent, and Tar is under…entertaining. Is that a thing? Look, it’s boring as hell. GdT’s Pinocchio , on the other hand, is a film that stays with you for hours, days, weeks, or much, much longer because of its incredibly harrowing and hopeful themes. Add in the impeccable detail that the animators put into the character and production design, the absolutely moving score, and the pitch-perfect voice cast, and you have one of the most deeply felt movies of 2022. Pinocchio , in general, is a horrifying and dreadful tale, but GdT somehow is able to diffuse that brutality with a piercingly bright light of charm and beauty. This final sentiment I could probably attach to every one of the following films, but I truly believe if this exact movie was presented in live action, it would have been a strong contender for Best Picture, Best Director, and Adapted Screenplay. INSIDE OUT Release Year : 2015 Best Picture Nominees: Spotlight , The Big Short , Bridge of Spies , Brooklyn , Mad Max: Fury Road , The Martian , The Revenant , Room Best Picture Nominee(s) that Inside Out should have replaced: None, but they left two slots open. I’ll apologize now for basically repeating this statement a little later on, but if the first ten minutes of Up convinced the Academy to use all ten of its Best Picture nominee slots to give it a nomination in 2009 (2010 ceremony), then how in the world do you leave two slots open in 2015 when Inside Out is miles better than Up ’s remaining 90ish minutes? The creativity, humor, wonderful writing (it was nominated for Best Original Screenplay, dammit), and beautiful score from Michael Giacchino makes Inside Out more than deserving of a nomination. Phyllis Smith’s vocal performance as Sadness absolutely shines amongst a stacked cast, and I can’t imagine anyone in the world being unable to connect with the idea of trying to figure out how to human. It’s so hard to human! Especially as a child going through major changes in life (oh boy, I can’t wait for the hormones in Inside Out 2 ). No matter who you are or where you come from, there is something in this film that connects to you on a spiritual level, and if the Academy felt obliged to reward the well-deserved tears resulting from Ellie and Carl’s connection in Up , I have two words for you: Bing. Bong. THE LION KING Release Year: 1994 Best Picture Nominees: Forrest Gump , Four Weddings and a Funeral , Pulp Fiction , Quiz Show , The Shawshank Redemption Best Picture Nominee(s) that The Lion King should have replaced: Four Weddings and a Funeral Man, I admit, 1994 was pretty damn stacked. I almost decided not to include this absolute classic when I saw what was nominated, but then I remembered that I had, in fact, seen Four Weddings and a Funeral . Then, I subsequently remembered that I remember damn near nothing about it. The Lion King is the film of an entire generation’s childhood. It is supremely voice-acted, has an Oscar-winning score, Oscar- and Grammy-winning original songs, and simultaneously traumatized and put back together every millennial you’ve ever met with its moving story of learning, loss, love, and leadership. It’s much more than the catchy songs we all love. It has charming characters, a top-tier villain with top-tier henchman, an iconic father figure, protagonists you want to root for, and a compelling story. I’d bet everything I just mentioned is something that you pictured in your head immediately. You remember where you were when you first saw Scar toss Mufasa off that cliff. You can hear every meme of Rafiki lifting a young Simba in the air (think about it…yes, that does make sense). Beauty & the Beast may be the Disney Renaissance film that was nominated for Best Picture, but The Lion King is the one that deserved it. A true snub. COCO Release Year: 2017 Best Picture Nominees: The Shape of Water , Call Me by Your Name , Darkest Hour , Dunkirk , Get Out , Lady Bird , Phantom Thread , The Post , Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri Best Picture Nominee(s) that Coco should have replaced: Honestly, probably about half of them, but yet again, THERE IS AN OPEN SLOT! THE ACADEMY USED ALL TEN SLOTS TO GIVE THE FURNACE SCENE IN TOY STORY 3 A NOMINATION IN A YEAR AS STACKED AS 2010, BUT THEY COULDN’T GIVE THE FINAL SLOT IN 2017 TO COCO , A FILM WHOSE ENTIRE RUNTIME IS AS IMPORTANT, HEARTFELT, AND TEAR-JERKING AS THAT DAMN FURNACE??? Look, I’m not saying that the furnace is the only great scene in Toy Story 3 (it very much deserved that nomination), but I AM saying that Inception, The Social Network, True Grit, Black Swan, and The Fighter would have beaten eight of nine nominees listed above (two guesses which one I think stacks up). Coco is a banger of an emotional thrill ride. Banger music, banger characters, banger visual effects & production design, banger cast, and, my goodness, that last banger rendition of Academy Award-winning song “Remember Me.” How a movie that is comparably as amazing as Toy Story 3 can’t crack a list filled with Best Picture nominees that don’t hold a candle to most of the films Toy Story 3 went up against just doesn’t make sense to me. The math ain’t mathin’. SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE & SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE Release Years: 2018 & 2023 Best Picture Nominees, 2018 : Green Book , Black Panther , Blackkklansman , Bohemian Rhapsody , The Favourite , Roma , A Star is Born , Vice Best Picture Nominee(s) that Into the Spider-Verse should have replaced: The FILM THAT WON IT ( Green Book since you, like everyone, most likely forgot), Bohemian Rhapsody Best Picture Nominees, 2023: American Fiction , Anatomy of a Fall , Barbie , The Holdovers , Killers of the Flower Moon , Maestro , Oppenheimer , Past Lives , Poor Things , The Zone of Interest Best Picture Nominee(s) that Across the Spider-Verse should have replaced: The Zone of Interest Y’all might have been wondering why I had that asterisk in the intro when I said five films, and if you know me, then y’all also were wondering after Coco how there could only be one movie left. And if you REALLY know me, you already knew this was coming. The Miles Morales-centered Spider-Verse films have the potential to surpass The Lord of the Rings as the greatest cinematic trilogy of all time. They not only innovated what animation can look like, already setting a new trend that subsequent animated films have strived to emulate, but they also set themselves apart as the best Spider-Man films to grace the silver screen, delivering more heart, action, spectacle, and thrills than any of the live-action versions. Yet, amongst all the grandeur, this soon-to-be trilogy’s true heart comes in the films’ introspective themes of identity. Into the Spider-Verse ’s intricate and entertaining story about growing into your own identity is far more moving and authentic than the two papier-mâché true stories nominated in 2018. Then, Across the Spider-Verse took that authenticity and expanded it to tell two equally compelling, parallel tales about the identities we want to share with loved ones but are too scared to reveal, all while naturally interweaving easter eggs, cameos, references, different animation styles, and an epically snubbed score from Daniel Pemberton with intimate detail. And I don’t want to hear anything along the lines of “it’s only half a movie” when The Two Towers is deservedly sitting right there in 2002’s Best Picture lineup. I mean, look, I just watched a whole-ass, two-hour Holocaust movie from 2023’s Best Picture lineup, and I didn’t give two shits about anything it presented to me. I couldn’t tell you one thing about that movie. Sure, MAYBE that’s on me. But you're telling me the Academy has felt that same way about EVERY animated movie released in the past almost 100 YEARS(!), save for THREE?! Only THREE were Best Picture-worthy?! If so, then GdT was right; the Academy needs to have some different conversations when it comes to animation. Photo Credits: Photo 1 - Netflix; Photo 2, 3, 4 - Walt Disney Studios; Photo 5 - Sony Pictures Releasing

Previous February 18, 2026 Next A BITESIZE CHAT WITH BART LAYTON Director Bart Layton joins Nick to discuss his evolution from documentary filmmaker to narrative director. He also chats about some of his inspirations behind the camera for his latest film, Crime 101 , and seeing something special in Chris Hemsworth. Make sure to check out Crime 101 now in theatres. Interview conducted on February 10th, 2026 by Nick van Dinther.

Previous Next August 1, 2026 Were you able to survive the Summer without spoilers ruining Spider-Man: Brand New Day ? If so, come tap in as the Bitesize crew breaks down all the storylines, cameos, Easter Eggs, and surprises of the latest entry in the MCU. Join Matt, Nick, Amarú, and Harrison as they discuss their thoughts on the last step on the road to Avengers: Doomsday . Click HERE to subscribe to our YouTube channel for all of our latest video content including our interviews, and be sure to give us a thumbs up and comment your thoughts!

Previous Next It's March and with International Women's Day coming up, we figured what better time to spotlight some of our favourite women behind the camera. With that being said, the Bitesize crew has put their brains together to compile Bitesize Breakdown's consensus Top Five Female Directors. To avoid any confusion, we are only focusing on singular directors here and have omitted co-directed features. Each writer ranks their 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. PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN Considering we're here to talk directors, it can't be understated what an explosive debut Emerald Fennell made with Promising Young Woman . The subject matter itself is one rarely tackled in this manner, and some of the decision-making was definitely a risk, but man, did it pay off. The chemistry between Carey Mulligan and Bo Burnham is terrific - with Mulligan giving my personal favourite performance of her career - and they do a great job finding levity within the dark subject matter. Then, there's that ending. Without getting into spoilers, the ending alone warrants inclusion on this list. This is the kind of film that forces you to take notice, and it is the reason why Fennell shot up the ranks of “directors to watch.” - Nick 4. A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN Penny Marshall directed an all-time classic in so many aspects with A League of Their Own . Top-notch sports film, top-notch characters, top-notch performances, and one of the top quoted lines in all of cinema history. Whether in a theater or on a baseball field, how often have you said, “there’s no crying in…” you know. The Rockford Peaches’ roster is filled with the epitome of an ensemble, from the comedic back and forth between Rosie O’Donnell and Madonna to the family drama between Lori Petty and Geena Davis, all under the beautifully curmudgeonly energy from Papa Tom Hanks. Marshall provides entertaining as hell baseball games with lovable characters and a feel good story that is utterly rewatchable. Add in an upbeat Hans Zimmer score, and you have one of the most crowd-pleasingly excellent films directed by anyone, let alone a woman. - Amarú 3. AMERICAN PSYCHO American Psycho is one of the most misunderstood films directed by a woman. Luckily, it has undergone some revisionist history, so it has been reclaimed from the film bros and is now better understood as a biting feminist satire that comments on toxic masculinity, overconsumption, and capitalistic greed. Guinevere Turner and Mary Harron wrote the adapted screenplay, and they chose not to focus on the gruesome treatment of women in Bret Easton Ellis’ 1991 novel of the same name. Instead, they focus on Patrick Bateman, played with terrifying glee by Christian Bale, and his fragile sense of masculinity and obsession with appearances. Overall, American Psycho is delightfully twisted and absurd, one of the funniest films I’ve seen, and still stands up today with its sharp critique of notions of masculinity. - Katie 2. BIG Penny Marshall’s sophomore feature, Big , is a genuine classic. Not only was it the first film directed by a woman to gross more than $100 million at the box office, but it also earned Tom Hanks his first Oscar nomination for Best Actor. Marshall deftly tackles the film's exploration of wanting to grow up too fast in a way that is both subtly insightful and endearing. Even if the movie is a bit cheesy and contains some scenes that didn’t age well, it’s still able to get its bittersweet message across. It’s just one of those sentimental movies that will strike a chord whether you're a kid or an adult. - Paige 1. CLUELESS Amy Heckerling’s Clueless is one of the rare movies that defines a decade, if not a generation, as evidenced by its inspiration for everything from Versace’s 2018 fall collection to 2023 Super Bowl commercials, from music videos to Mean Girls . A modern take on Jane Austen’s Emma , Clueless is a teen comedy, a rom-com, and a coming-of-age movie wrapped in era-defining fashion, a killer 90s soundtrack, and oft-quoted catchphrases. It was so culturally significant that it led to a spin-off sitcom that ran for three seasons, a 21-book series of YA novels, a comic book series, a stage musical, and video games. Considering Heckerling wrote, directed, and produced the movie, her fingerprints are on every single aspect of the culture shifting hit, including rare-at-the-time takes on modern feminism, sex-positivity, and LGBTQ visibility, all while being at the forefront of today’s referential and euphemism-driven conversational style. Are there comparatively better women-directed films than Clueless ? Maybe. Have any been nearly as influential? As if… - Quentin HONORABLE MENTIONS LITTLE WOMEN THE VIRGIN SUICIDES ANATOMY OF A FALL THE SUBSTANCE POINT BREAK

ANDOR: SEASON ONE Starring: Diego Luna, Kyle Soller, Adria Arjona, Stellan Skarsgård, Fiona Shaw, Denise Gough, Genevieve O’Reilly, Faye Marsay, Varada Sethu, Elizabeth Dulau, and Andy Serkis Creator: Tony Gilroy AMARÚ It isn’t an exaggeration to say that every second of Andor is tense. Whether watching an action-packed heist or three people in a room conversing, your breath halts in anticipation for the next word, the next scene, the next step towards the rebellion. Creator Tony Gilroy crafted a riveting powder-keg of piercing dialogue that produces chill-inducing moments from actors acting their asses off. The cast has no weak links, the writing is top-notch, and the story made me forget about hokey religions, ancient weapons, and Obi-Wan , a Jedi show I genuinely thought was some of the best Star Wars this century. Man, was I wrong. PAIGE Even as a huge fan of Rogue One , Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) isn’t the reason I love that film, so I had my concerns about him getting his own series, especially after the first few episodes proved to be boring. But, boy, did it pick up and get me hooked! I felt like I was part of the fight against the Empire with every tense and gritty moment. Creator Tony Gilroy gives a masterclass in storytelling, as he does an outstanding job bringing the uprising of the rebellion to life. This show ended up being, hands down, the most compelling Star Wars show thus far. ADRIANO Just when I thought I was done with Star Wars , Andor pulled me back in. Its slow-moving nature isn’t going to be everybody's thing, but I can’t remember the last time this franchise had me so captivated. No lightsabers, no force, no Skywalkers…yet I was gripped from Episode One to the mesmerizing season finale. While Andy Serkis steals the show, Diego Luna is one hell of an engaging lead, and the dialogue and layered storylines are written perfectly. Star Wars or not, this is just riveting TV at its finest. QUENTIN As a person who is dispassionate about Star Wars (there is more bad Star Wars than good Star Wars ), I had minimal interest in a prequel about a one-off character from an average movie. As I struggled through the first three (slow) episodes, I felt my opinion being validated. However, Episode Four really turns it around, becoming an appealingly dark and gritty sci-fi series that aspires to be more than just another toy commercial by featuring excellent performances and a Skywalker-free story that is complex and layered (rarities for the franchise). It’s almost Blade Runner -esque, and maybe my favorite thing from the galaxy far, far away.

AHSOKA: SEASON ONE Starring: Rosario Dawson, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ray Stevenson, Ivanna Sakhno, Diana Lee Inosanto, David Tennant, Eman Esfandi, Genevieve O’Reilly, Lars Mikkelsen, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, and Hayden Christensen Creator: Dave Filoni AMARÚ While some might say it’s too stoic for their liking, I found that Ahsoka ’s combination of Western aesthetics and Star Wars mysticism created an entertaining balance of weight and wonder. Alongside lively chase sequences, tense lightsaber duels, and Kevin Kiner’s exceptional score, the show also finds time to sit with its characters and breathe in the compelling performances, especially from David Tennant, Ray Stevenson, and Rosario Dawson, with the latter’s character arc exemplifying both her and the show’s gradual rebirth from Ahsoka’s (Dawson) dark Original Trilogy connections to what is looking to be wondrously adventurous future seasons. NICK With all due respect to The Mandalorian , Ahsoka is the most Star Wars -like a live-action series has felt. Yes, it often feels like fan service, and as someone who hasn't seen Rebels , a better job could've been done investing me in certain characters. That said, there are lightsabers a plenty, the cast is solid (especially the late Ray Stevenson in a grounded role for the franchise), and the series never stalls. Where the sequel trilogy did a disservice to Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ahsoka seem set to redeem the once poorly written character of Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen), which is a welcome direction. QUENTIN Although I can’t point to any one thing as terrible, Ahsoka , a mostly lifeless and hollow affair built on the back of total fan service, might be the thing that has officially turned me off Star Wars for good. Maybe it’s because I never watched Rebels , but I can’t be bothered with any of these wooden characters or their storylines. I admit there are a few energetic lightsaber battles, but I just. don’t. care…like, at all…about any of it…lightsabers, The Force, Jedis…I’m just done. Once Andor ends, that’s it for me on Disney+’s Star Wars shows, most of which have been very blah, anyway. PAIGE As a Rebels watcher, I can say that I felt rewarded after watching Ahsoka . Show creator Dave Filoni seemed to understand the assignment, as he did a fantastic job of delivering a more fantasy-like element to the Star Wars universe, as well as successfully transitioning these characters to live-action. With that said, the show does have its flaws. There are muddled storylines and an over-reliance on the Volume Stage, but mainly, it’s the structure that Disney+ has in place for these shows. This series lacked emotional weight and stakes due to the streaming platform’s limited episode model. CALEB After watching Ahsoka , it seems to me as though series creator Dave Filoni has learned all the wrong lessons from past Star Wars projects. Ahsoka lacks the creativity of the original trilogy, but it excels at capturing the stiff performances and wooden dialogue that made the prequels so unbearable. The series also adopts the worst Disney-era hallmarks, including annoying fake-out deaths, flavorless cinematography, and obnoxious fan-service. Worse still, Ahsoka is practically inaccessible for audiences unfamiliar with Rebels (2014). Lucasfilm has taken a gamble by using one relatively obscure cartoon as the foundation for their expanding universe, and so far, it isn't paying off. PRESTON Ahsoka pays tribute to the vast Star Wars canon, tipping its hat to its loyal devotees with extraordinary visuals, as usual. The dialogue and script are, unfortunately, less successful. The series is plagued by long and boring monologues followed by stilted fight scenes featuring watered down and confusing uses of “The Force.” Plus, there is little in the way of humor or charisma to offset the ever-present use of stoicism to portray the supremely confident Jedi. Although the first half of the series comes across very flat, we are otherwise placated with a satisfactory second half and conclusion. R.I.P. Ray Stevenson. PHILL Following her live-action appearances in The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) returns in her own self-titled series, but if you haven’t seen the animated series Rebels , you may find yourself feeling like you’re missing important context. That said, Ahsoka stands well enough on its own that Rebels is not compulsory viewing. However, although filled with fun cameos and well-executed fan service, Ahsoka occasionally falls a little flat with some questionable plot decisions and uninspired action sequences whilst doing a lot of heavy lifting for future Star Wars shows and sequel series.

THE PITT: SEASON TWO Starring: : Noah Wyle, Patrick Ball, Fiona Dourif, Taylor Dearden, Gerran Howell, Isa Briones, Shabana Azeez, Supriya Ganesh, Katherine LaNasa, Alexandra Metz, Shawn Hatosy, and Sepideh Moafi Creator: R. Scott Gemmill NICK When you burst onto the scene with a nearly perfect first season, the follow-up is bound to face scrutiny. Yet, somehow, The Pitt largely avoids this. Season Two of the medical drama offers a less chaotic day as it focuses more on the scars of the doctors than the patients. Once again, the performances are top notch across the board (Noah Wyle and Katherine LaNasa, in particular) as the season tackles prevalent issues such as ICE, AI, adult depression, and the toll the job takes on the modern-day healthcare worker. A lacklustre finale is the only thing that bumped my rating down a touch. AMARÚ I binge watched The Pitt : Season One before watching Season Two in real time, and the back-to-back viewing greatly enhanced the second season’s improvements. This series is an anomaly, as it is the calmest-looking, pressure-cooking hour on television. While last season played more like singular capsule episodes, this season is much more cohesive. The characters you fell in love with gain more depth, the tension you feel spans multiple episodes, and it’s all bolstered by interesting new doctors, intense life-or-death messaging, and patients ranging from hilarious to heartbreaking. I'm so happy I finally caught the Pitt train. ADRIANO For a show whose gimmick can easily become tiresome, The Pitt ’s second season finds new ways to engage its audience. Its thesis on mental health in the medical community remains the focus (while not being afraid to effectively dip its toes into topical subjects), and the outstanding character work drives this home wonderfully. As much as it is an exhilarating thrill at times, The Pitt ’s strength is showing how these characters operate, and that includes the ugly tendencies a poor mental state can reveal. It may be gruelling, but I’m thrilled for another shift at the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Centre. Check out our reviews for Season One HERE .

Previous May 23, 2025 Next A BITESIZE CHAT WITH ELI CRAIG Director Eli Craig (Tucker and Dale vs Evil ) chats with Katie about Clown in a Cornfield , his latest film, and what he looks to achieve in the horror genre. Make sure to check out Clown in a Cornfield now in theatres. Interview conducted on May 8th, 2025 by Katie Bone.