WEDNESDAY: SEASON ONE Starring: Jenna Ortega, Gwendoline Christie, Riki Lindhome, Jamie McShane, Hunter Doohan, Percy Hynes White, Emma Myers, Joy Sunday, Christina Ricci, Moosa Mostafa, Isaac Ordonez, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Luis Guzmán Creators: Alfred Gough and Miles Millar AMARÚ Wednesday has a peculiar vibe I really enjoy: Harry Potter aesthetics, Buffy (good Buffy ) campiness, and a Sherlock Holmes-ish family mystery fit for The CW. Some editing and dialogue choices are reminiscent of the “Young Adult Soap Opera” shows on that network, but those are nitpicks when you have a lead as powerful as Jenna Ortega (Wednesday). She is a perfect fit for the role whilst making it uniquely her own, which is all the more impressive considering she’s playing alongside her predecessor, Christina Ricci. I love a well-made teenage show, and Wednesday , the character and the series, delivers that on multiple levels. PAIGE This series is very much a mix of The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina meets Riverdale , and with that, I’m afraid to say the choice to go full YA may have been a deadly one here. Wednesday never fully captures the wicked magic that made The Addams Family films oddly enjoyable. If it weren’t for Jenna Ortega’s morbidly good performance as Wednesday Addams, not to mention the charming aid of her handy sidekick Thing, this show would not have worked as well as it does.

Previous April 29, 2026 Next A BITESIZE CHAT WITH ALAN TUDYK With his 12th Disney Animated film now in theatres, Alan Tudyk (Firefly , Rogue One ) joins Nick to talk about his role as Valentino in Wish , some of his career highlights, the upcoming Creature Commandos , and even do a few of his signature voices. Make sure to check out Wish now in theatres. Interview conducted on November 20th, 2023 by Nick van Dinther. Photo Credits: Banner - Ben A. Pruchnie; Photo 1, 2 - Walt Disney Studios

UNDER THE BRIDGE Starring: Lily Gladstone, Riley Keough, Vritika Gupta, Chloe Guidry, Javon “Wanna” Walton, Izzy G, Archie Panjabi, Aiyana Goodfellow, and Ezra Faroque Khan Creator: Quinn Shephard QUENTIN I can’t remember the last time a show went from promising start to borderline unwatchable in the time that Under the Bridge does. Maybe it’s just me, but the more time I spent with the bitchy, white, teenage girls who refer to themselves as — huge eye-roll — the “Crip Mafia Cartel” while constantly bragging about how gangster they are and incessantly name-dropping John Gotti, the tougher it was to finish each episode. Just…So. Damn. Annoying. That said, if you can get past that, the acting and (true) mystery are decent enough to satisfy fans of shows cut from the same cloth as True Detective and The Killing .

THE WESTIES: SEASON ONE Starring: J.K. Simmons, Titus Welliver, Tom Brittney, Jessica Frances Dukes, Stanley Morgan, Sarah Bolger, Allen Leech, Hamish Allan-Headley, Vincent Walsh, and Hilary McCormack Creators: Chris Brancato and Michael Panes QUENTIN On paper, The Westies checks the right boxes, but unfortunately, it feels like that’s all it’s doing. It’s almost as if no one’s heart is in it. J.K. Simmons plays an Irish mob boss more like a tired dad than a menacing gangster while Hamish Allan-Headley turns John Gotti into a lazy Italian archetype. Then you have the mostly nameless Irish goons, who don’t do much but make stupid decisions, and an underwritten B-plot about the IRA. Titus Welliver and especially Tom Brittney (DCU’s next Batman?) seem more engaged, but it’s all too toothless to stand with the likes of The Sopranos and Peaky Blinders .

THE 'BURBS: SEASON ONE Starring: Keke Palmer, Jack Whitehall, Julia Duffy, Paula Pell, Mark Proksch, Kapil Talwalkar, Danielle Kennedy, Randy Oglesby, Justin Kirk, Erica Dasher, Kyrie Mcalpin, Max Carver, and RJ Cyler Creator: Celeste Hughey ROBERT Peacock nostalgia-dips to 1989 and delivers a new streaming show based on a cult classic film in The ‘Burbs , where murder and mystery infect a small, safe community. If this sounds familiar, maybe you have seen Grosse Pointe Garden Society , or Based on a True Story , or any other media this decade where mild-mannered civilians get thrust into a whodunit investigation. I was interested to see Keke Palmer as the lead after Nope , but her vibes were off for this project, and the characters, while kooky and heartwarming, didn’t buttress against lazy writing. Feel free to U-turn out of this cul-de-sac of lemons.

CITY ON FIRE Starring: Wyatt Oleff, Chase Sui Wonders, Xavier Clyde, Jemima Kirke, Nico Tortorella, Ashley Zukerman, Max Milner, Alexandra Doke, Omid Abtahi, Kathleen Munroe, and John Cameron Mitchell Creators: Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage PAIGE City on Fire is a dumpster fire of a show. It tries to be a gritty murder mystery, but unfortunately ends up feeling more like a basic teen drama more than anything else. I hate to use this term, but it feels very “CW-ish.” With dull storytelling that unsuccessfully tries to connect multiple characters' stories, it just feels like it’s trying too hard, and overall, it’s filled with mediocre performances across the board. Honestly, the only thing truly going for this show is the soundtrack.

Previous Next May 14, 2025 WRITTEN BY: THE BITESIZE CREW One of the things we are proud of at Bitesize Breakdown is the personality and individuality of our writing staff. With that in mind, we thought we'd take a moment to give you an opportunity to know the writers behind the avatars. So... Dear readers, Meet the Crew! NICK (He/Him) Birth Year: 1991 Location: Toronto, Ontario Favourite Film: Back to the Future (1985) X: https://x.com/nickvandinther With a background in acting and a love of film from a young age ( Star Wars was my introduction to the medium), I've always been eager to talk about the latest releases. As my shelves overflowed with DVDs (I prioritized space for movies over clothing), I came to the realization that I loved watching and discussing film and television more than most. Looking to continue that conversation, I brought my thoughts to social media where I began to find like-minded individuals, ultimately leading to the creation of Bitesize Breakdown. Coming from the performance side of things, that's where my focus tends to be because I believe a good performance is much more likely to make up for a lacklustre film than vice-versa. However, I try to base my reviews on a combination of personal enjoyment and technical acumen. A ton of work goes into these projects from top to bottom, so that’s why I’ll never feature “Worst Of” lists or celebrate a film’s failure. I enter all films wanting to love them, but unfortunately, it doesn’t always work out that way. AMARÚ (He/Him) Birth Year: 1988 Location: Charlotte, North Carolina Favourite Film: Inception (2010) X: https://x.com/knick888221 Whatup, family - it’s ya boy, Amarú Moses. I’m a teacher by day and a movie lover by… life. Growing up, the Mosi (yes, Mosi) family weekend outings always meant a trip to the movies. From watching The Lion King and Pulp Fiction in the theaters at the ripe age of six to becoming a competitor on the biggest professional movie trivia league Movie Trivia Schmoedown , movies have had an everlasting presence in my life. I’m originally from New York (die hard Knick fan here), lived in seven cities in five states by the time I graduated college (GO BEARS!!!!), and moved to Charlotte in 2017. In 2020, I became the second writer for a little start-up review website called Bitesize Breakdown, so while I may not be the oldest person here, you can consider me an OG. I’m a geek by nature, but I'm a fan of all movie genres… except Musicals… mostly. You can usually catch me hosting One Gotta Stay , still playing online movie trivia, or getting hyphy watching Blindspotting for the fifty-millionth time. Whatever it is, if it has to do with my free time, it probably has a movie attached to it. QUENTIN (He/Him) Birth Year: 1981 Location Stuttgart, Germany Favourite Film: The Big Lebowski (1998) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quentin.lester Like a lot of kids growing up, Quentin had a crush on his b abysitter. His babysitter? Movies. From Columbia House memberships to Blockbuster Nights to spending the whole day theater-hopping with his cousin, movies always provided the escape a quiet kid from Kentucky needed. Nearly four decades later, Q’s crush has turned into a full-blown love affair, and he has come to believe that there is a difference between “movies” and “films.” As a result, he applies both an analytic and consumeristic eye to his reviews, equally judging artistic merits as much as pure entertainment value, while trying to remain objective and credible in his takes on movies, film, and television. That said, he loves a good heist, Nic Cage, superheroes, and considers the Rewatchability Quotient one of the most important factors in his ratings. Meanwhile, he will almost always skip Wes Anderson, musicals, found footage movies, and anything that looks too saccharine. A childless, pants-hating veteran… Q is well-traveled, cynical, tattooed, anti-physical media, and can often be found drinking bourbon at a bar with a new best friend he just met. You may think he’s overly harsh in his reviews, but he will abide your disagreement because “that's just, like, your opinion, man." KATIE (She/Her) Birth Year: 1999 Location: Exeter, Devon Favourite Film: Ratatouille (2007) X: https://x.com/katiemaybone I’m Katie, and I love cinema. Films have always played an important role in my life, with some of my earliest memories being of the Warner Bros. Studio just down the road from where I grew up. I’m in awe of the creative efforts that go into crafting a film, which made me an avid cinema goer at a young age. Whilst I’m varied in my viewing, with my favourite films ranging from the faultless masterpiece that is Ratatouille to The Shining , horror has a special place in my heart. From renting The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity DVDs when I was probably a bit too young through to present day, I’ve always been fascinated with the genre. During my time in university, I discovered I much preferred writing about films than making them. I also developed a passion for the intersection of horror and feminist film theory, focusing largely on female-authored horror cinema. My approach to reviews is based equally on how I connect emotionally and personally with a film or series, as much as it is on artistic merit and technical aspects. That being said, I have a soft spot for Florence Pugh, horror films, and anything food related. BODE (He/Him) Birth Year: 1995 Location: Ajax, Ontario Favourite Film: E.T. The Extra Terrestrial (1982) X: https://x.com/bodesulaiman I share the same birthday as Steven Spielberg. Obviously, a lot of people do, but I doubt they use it as a way to introduce themselves like I have. That’s because Spielberg is the reason I got into film in the first place. It’s the joy and melancholy of E.T. The Extra Terrestrial that made an indelible mark on me as a child, sparking a fascination with the power of the moving image as a medium, a fascination that continues to grow the more I watch (no matter what genre) and the older I get (because we’re not getting any younger). Even in the not-so-great moments of my life, I’ve found solace in it. It’s how I’ve made friends. It’s how I’ve bonded with family. It’s how I’m able to make some sense of my place in the world. I’ve always been eager to share my opinions about the latest releases or the canonical classics to anyone who cares to listen, and getting to do so for an outlet such as Bitesize Breakdown is exciting. I couldn’t be happier to be part of the team! ADRIANO (He/Him) Birth Year: 2001 Location: Aurora, Ontario Favourite Film: Network (1976) X: https://x.com/AdriCaporusso For as long as I can remember, film and television have been a major part of my life. When I was 9 years old, I fell in love with the comedies of the 2000s. Films such as Superbad , Step Brothers , and Dodgeball first ignited that flame, and it only got bigger as I grew older and saw films from the likes of Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, and Stanley Kubrick. Although I had an acting stint in high school, and briefly performed stand-up comedy at Open Mics in 2019, filmmaking and writing became a passion and dream of mine. I spent most of my days in my house just watching movies, old and new, constantly fascinated at the craft and storytelling. As a result, I find myself with an uncomfortable knowledge about the Oscars and Emmys, knowledge that has turned me into an awards pundit. A staunch lover of physical media, film and television has consumed my life for better and for worse, and because of that, I’ll always be somewhat optimistic about a film, whether it deserves it or not. ROBERT (He/Him) Birth Year: 1988 Location: Dallas, Texas Favourite Film: Pulp Fiction (1994) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robert.castner.714 Can there be anything worse for a Pittsburgh native and sports fan than to end up in a place like Dallas? (Rhetorical question: the answer is no.) Fortunately, I found life rafts to buoy me under such conditions with my wife and child, who are the world to me. From a movie perspective, I found solace in the silver screen as a means of escapism, as I’m sure most people do. I have always been fascinated with how worlds are concocted and how much of an event going to see a movie can be. From Titanic to Avengers: Endgame , I love the communal aspect and being part of the zeitgeist through something I adore. Once COVID happened, I looked for another outlet, finding online movie trivia. Suddenly, I could lean into my competitiveness by using the one thing that has held up over the years: my memory. Also, I was embraced by my peers and made a ton of great friends along the way. I developed into a geek-movie advocate, but fire up a good comedy ( Superbad , Step Brothers , Pineapple Express ) and I’m in heaven dancing with the Backstreet Boys. PAIGE (She/Her) Birth Year: 1993 Location: Brockton, Massachusetts Favourite Film: Scream (1996) X: https://x.com/frontpaigenews9 For those who don’t know me, my name is Paige Frabetti, aka “The Boston Badass” from Movie Trivia Schmoedown . For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been a huge fan of cinema. It all started with the original Star Wars trilogy, which took me to a galaxy far, far away. I love that film can be an escape from the real world, sucking viewers into make-believe worlds that allow the audience to leave all their worries behind. I also love finding a character or story that I can relate to, helping me to feel seen in this world, which influences how I rate series and movies… can I connect to it and be entertained by it? I also share a huge passion for physical media as I own way too many Blu-rays to even count. Lastly, the other Bitesize writers will tell you I’m the resident horror and A24 fanatic, but I’m also a die-hard Quentin Tarantino fan, a lover of coming-of-age films, and, if you can't tell from some of my tattoos, I’m still a Star Wars nerd.

DOWN CEMETERY ROAD Starring: Ruth Wilson, Emma Thompson, Adeel Akhtar, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Tom Goodman-Hill, Darren Boyd, Tom Riley, Adam Godley, Sinead Matthews, Ken Nwosu, Fehinti Balogun, Aiysha Hart, and Steven Cree Creator: Morwenna Banks QUENTIN Down Cemetery Road is not without some quirky British charm, but it’s ultimately undone by pacing issues and a tonal inconsistency that could cause whiplash. For a twisty show about a disappeared child, hitmen, murder, government conspiracy, and all the other tropes that generally fall into this kind of mystery thriller, why is it so damn cheeky? Sure, Emma Thompson is great at being cheeky, but with every chuckle-worthy wisecrack, I was increasingly pulled out of the search for (and plight of) a missing orphan, which was only exacerbated by the sluggish middle episodes. It’s not terrible, but it’s a jarring mix of Broadchurch and Monk .

BLACK RABBIT Starring: Jason Bateman, Jude Law, Cleopatra Coleman, Sope Dirisu, Amaka Okafor, and Troy Kotsur Creators: Zach Baylin and Kate Susman BODE I never got into Ozark like a lot of people did. Despite being filled with talent, I found that show to be half-baked in its characterization and plotting. Its deadly serious tone and plodding pace didn’t help either. My thoughts on Black Rabbit , which shares much of Ozark ’s creative DNA, are similar. Jason Bateman and Jude Law have an intriguing dynamic, and it’s tense in the right moments (especially in the last few episodes). But undercooked characters, time-padding subplots, and a near-humourless vibe keep this miniseries from reaching its full potential. It ultimately left me thinking that it should be better than it really is. QUENTIN Black Rabbit is enjoyable enough for fans of bleak crime dramas, mostly due to Jude Law and Jason Bateman, but it would have been so much better had it focused on one plotline. The true story on which it is loosely based, about a scandal at a high-end restaurant, would have been compelling on its own; likewise, had it focused solely on the good-brother-helps-bad-brother storyline, all good there too. There is plenty to mine from either of those plotlines; However, by mashing them together, neither is truly developed as well as it should be. Ultimately, we’re left with a see-what-sticks hybrid of Ozark , The Bear , and Rounders .

BODKIN: SEASON ONE Starring: Will Forte, Siobhán Cullen, Robyn Cara, David Wilmot, and Chris Walley Creator: Jez Scharf QUENTIN I don’t listen to podcasts because I need the visual component lest I completely zone out, but Bodkin does a great job of capturing the essence of a podcast in the visual medium. Its narration, quirky characters, and twist-filled mystery will keep you clicking the “watch next episode" button incessantly. It's let down a tad by the lead trio being written a little too rigidly (too buffoonish (Will Forte), too hardened (Siobhán Cullen), and too naïve (Robyn Cara)), but that doesn't take away from the super-bingeable yarn being spun in the vein of Only Murders in the Building of Inisherin.

LONG BRIGHT RIVER Starring: Amanda Seyfried, Nicholas Pinnock, Ashleigh Cummings, Callum Vinson, John Doman, and Dash Mihok Creators: Nikki Toscano and Liz Moore ROBERT When I started Long Bright River , I was struggling to come to terms with Amanda Seyfried as a Philadelphia cop. But once I got past the first few episodes, the show began to peel back the layers of how she ended up in her position, and how her family dynamics played into the investigation at large. Once that was unveiled, I was pleasantly surprised by my interest through to the conclusion, even with the miniseries trying its hardest to bait-and-switch me at every turn. If you stick with it, you will be glad you got on the roller coaster.

Previous Next October 23, 2023 WRITTEN BY: AMARÚ Horror fans, I’m sorry, but be prepared to hate me in 5…4…3… Horror is a stupid-ass genre. It’s stupid-ass movies with stupid-ass characters doing stupid-ass things for stupid-ass reasons. It’s the one genre I didn’t watch growing up because my father (for multiple reasons that I won’t put him on blast about) didn’t like it either. And I don’t blame him. Being scared about uninteresting things that don’t make any sense is not a form of entertainment I find enjoyable. However, occasionally, a director, writer, or group of actors do something that is legitimately smart to “elevate” what could have easily been schlock and gore just for the sake of it (funnily enough, I don’t really like the phrase “elevated [insert genre],” but here we are). I think 1996’s Scream is the first instance in which I recognized that horror can be more than just jump scares and stupidity. As the years have gone by, I have given horror movies more of a chance, and I have identified the four main reasons (let’s call them… saving graces) that would drive me to watch these spooky films. So, for any of you who are like me, I have listed those four reasons below, from least to greatest importance, as a guide to see if maybe…just maybe…you might start giving them a chance too. SAVING GRACE 1: GREAT VILLAINS & ANTAGONISTS If the main bad guy, ghost, otherworldly being, or whatever is killing everyone can make me like them (or love to hate them), then you can at least get me to watch your trailer. I might even go back and revisit your film. That’s why this grace heavily applies to horror films that I missed when I was younger. Freddy Kreuger is absolutely hilarious, Michael Myers is utterly brutal, and Pennywise is devilishly mischievous. If the film is not delivering on its story, or the characters aren’t all that intriguing, this would at least allow me to laugh or stare in awe as the killings take place. It also is one of the best ways a director can show off their craft, utilizing creative ways to feature the antagonists in their element. Think of the one-shot in David Gordon Green’s Halloween that intensified Michael’s mere presence, or how Wes Craven created larger-than-life scenarios to enhance Freddy’s showmanship. A great antagonist alone doesn’t make for a good movie, but at least it gives you a reason to push through a bad one. - Movies I liked containing this grace: Halloween (1978 and 2018), Saw , Split - Movies I watched due to this grace: Friday the 13th (1980) , A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) , Child’s Play , It (2017), Candyman (1992) SAVING GRACE 2: GREAT CASTING & PERFORMANCES If you take a great antagonist and pit them against people I can root for, now I have an even bigger reason to watch the fight of good vs. evil unfold. That, or if the lead actors give an utterly undeniable performance, I can’t justify not at least giving the movie a try. It took me a couple of years, but I finally witnessed Toni Collette’s greatness in Hereditary , and I immediately understood why people thought she was snubbed for an Oscar nomination. I also went back to check out multiple performances I was too young to care for at the time, including Christian Bale’s Patrick Bateman ( American Psycho ), Anthony Hopkins’ Hannibal Lecter ( The Silence of the Lambs ), and the three-headed powerhouse of the Orca’s Robert Shaw, Roy Scheider, and Richard Dreyfuss ( Jaws ). Without an ensemble you can connect to, a great villain can only take you so far, and that is often why many horror sequels are far inferior to their predecessors. While you may want to keep returning to some of your favorite horror villains, fighting through multiple bad performances may be too much of a burden for those charismatic characters to carry. - Movies I liked containing this grace: Scream 4 , The Faculty , Us , The Devil’s Advocate - Movies I watched due to this grace: Hereditary , American Psycho , It Chapter Two - Franchises ruined because of this grace: Friday the 13th , A Nightmare on Elm Street , Halloween , Saw , Child’s Play , Final Destination 4 (and ONLY Final Destination 4 ) SAVING GRACE 3: AN INTERESTING PREMISE/GREAT STORY You don’t need a star-studded cast to carry a horror film to greatness. Oftentimes, these films want the story and tone to be their major selling point, and when filmmakers can create something interesting out of their unbelievable premise, it doesn’t matter if you have a household name or newcomer in the top billing. Writer-directors Jordan Peele and (at times) M. Night Shyamalan have proven that a well-written, intelligent script with suspenseful pacing, intense scare sequences, and unpredictable yet challenging twists can make for movies that will have you thinking about them for months after you leave the theater. When I watched Get Out for the first time, I was speechless for the rest of the night. It definitely helped that its story connected to many core tenets of my culture, but that same speechlessness stayed with me after two hours of utter silence when leaving A Quiet Place . Horror films’ ridiculous plot points are probably the major reason I tend to stay away from the genre because it can make or break a film, even if you have the greatest performances in the world. To this day, I can’t stand The Sixth Sense because of how utterly BORING the film is up until that major twist. And yes, I just mentioned how great Toni Collette’s performance in Hereditary is, but when the reasons for everything that is happening are unveiled, I literally paused the credits, stared at it for five straight seconds, threw up my hands and yelled “what…. DAFUQ WAS THAT?!” It’s these “but why??” experiences that remind me why I don’t like this genre. - Movies I liked containing this grace: Knock at the Cabin , Brightburn , The Menu , Unbreakable - Movies I watched due to this grace: Happy Death Day , Escape Room - Movies ruined because of this grace: Hereditary , American Psycho , The Sixth Sense SAVING GRACE 4: MORE THAN JUST A HORROR FILM If you can combine the previous three graces seamlessly, then you have a horror film that’s going to capture my attention. For me, it just happens to be that more times than not, these horror films heavily dip into another genre to bring in aspects of movies I enjoy way more. Horror-comedies, mystery-thrillers, action-horror films are usually movies I thoroughly enjoy because the horror of it all is either in the background or is blended perfectly with the superior genre. As I mentioned in the opening, Scream, with the meta-ness of it all, introduced me to movies that can usurp its horror labels to become more than what its genre has pigeonholed them to be. Tucker and Dale vs. Evil is a film I never would have considered watching if not for having to study it for a trivia match, but the entertaining mix of comedy, satire, and Alan Tudyk is another great example of horror making me a believer again. The Mummy (1999) is one of my all-time favorite movies, and you may be rolling your eyes at me right now, but there’s no denying that horror elements play a big role in that action film’s success. Whether it’s the comedy that makes Shaun of the Dead one of the best use of zombies in film, the whodunit-like thrills that Ready or Not brings along with its great cast, or the action that makes Aliens a superior sequel, if the horror film can be more than just a horror film, you have completely won me over. - Movies I like containing this grace: Zombieland , Bodies Bodies Bodies , The Cabin in the Woods , Psycho Goreman - Movies I LOVE which have all four graces: Shaun of the Dead , A Quiet Place , Get Out , Us , Nope , Final Destination , The Silence of the Lambs , Sleepy Hollow , Scream (1996) , Jaws , Army of Darkness, The Mummy (1999), Ready or Not, Aliens Photo Credits: Photo 1 - New Line Cinema; Photo 2 - A24; Photo 3, 4 - Universal Pictures