BLUEBACK Starring: Mia Wasikowska, Radha Mitchell, Ilsa Fogg, Ariel Joy Donahue, and Eric Bana Director: Robert Connolly NICK Free Willy , Flipper , Andre , and now Blueback . Who doesn't like a family-friendly, aquatic animal saviour story? A tale focused more on the family side of things, in particular the mother-daughter relationship, Blueback may not be anything revelatory, but it makes for an enjoyable watch. And it’s only enhanced by the beautiful footage of Western Australia and some wonderfully shot underwater scenes. Toss in a highly entertaining Eric Bana performance (in a style I’d love to see more of from him), and you have another successful entry in the genre. JOSEPH Blueback ’s talented cast and adorable titular grouper aren’t enough to save this conservation-driven film. While the cinematography and underwater scenes capture the natural beauty of Australia impeccably, there’s little else to write home about. The film has a haphazard approach that jumps between flashbacks and the present in an attempt to weave a story around a mother-daughter relationship. Unfortunately, the end result, while calming, is hardly a story at all as the only cohesion is placed on the wildlife that is not nearly on screen enough. While the message is important, Blueback isn’t a must see. This film was reviewed by Nick as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival.

SPINNING GOLD Starring: Jeremy Jordan, Michelle Monaghan, Peyton List, Lyndsy Fonseca, Caylee Cowan, James Wolk, Dan Fogler, Jason Isaacs, Jay Pharoah, and Chris Redd Director: Timothy Scott Bogart QUENTIN If not for the soundtrack, Spinning Gold would have absolutely nothing going for it. It’s terribly directed, dreadfully acted, poorly written, and feels cheaply made. There are awful costumes and even worse green screen scenes. For reference, the lead actor’s last three movies were Hallmark Originals, and the writer-director, who happens to be the son of the main character, hasn’t written or directed a movie since a 2005, straight-to-streaming rom-com that is so obscure it doesn’t have a Wikipedia page or a Rotten Tomatoes score. This is the level of talent involved, and it makes for a painful watch; extra half reel for the music, though. JACOB The first rule of filmmaking is “show, don’t tell,” but if someone’s first movie experience was the dreadful Spinning Gold , they’d learn the opposite lesson. Without a doubt, this is easily one of the worst music biopics I’ve ever had the displeasure of viewing. Even after the second half finally debuts two actually coherent scenes, it can’t stop being so far up its own ass about how important it all is…and it never. stops. telling . you that. Nearly every role is irreversibly miscast, the dialogue is cringe levels of high school stage theater, and not one performance (or wig job) succeeds.

SPIDERHEAD Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Miles Teller, Jurnee Smollett, and Mark Paguio Director: Joseph Kosinski JOSEPH Spiderhead is a nice surprise. Chris Hemsworth steals every scene he’s in, bringing a maniacal glee to the role. It also is a testament to just how good of a performer Hemsworth is. From a story perspective, Spiderhead has its hits and misses. Sometimes it feels like its moving a little too slowly, and while the finale is exciting, the overall resolution leaves something to be desired. Still, I think the high concept and solid performances are enough to make Spiderhead a worthwhile watch. NICK Story wise, Spiderhead conjures up memories of The Island and Ex Machina , and although it’s more predictable than those films, the performance of Chris Hemsworth makes it work. Hemsworth has a blast every minute he’s on screen, and when he’s absent, the film takes a noticeable hit. That’s not to say anything of the performances from Miles Teller and especially Jurnee Smollett, but this is The Chris Hemsworth Show. Spiderhead also makes for another solid outing from director Joseph Kosinski following the success of Top Gun: Maverick . It may not reach the heights of that film, but Spiderhead is still a fun ride. JACOB Joseph Kosinski’s Spiderhead isn’t a total bore, but it feels as if the story being told was meant to be in a miniseries format at first, then squeezed down to about two hours. Almost none of the characters actually receive the development they need to carry this narrative, and the idea of the location itself never really gets any traction beyond it simply being the setting. The film does attempt to grapple with some interesting concepts, but never actually explores them; without Chris Hemsworth and Miles Teller to keep its poorly-structured weight afloat, it likely would have sunk entirely. QUENTIN With its strong Ex Machina vibes, a charismatic performance from Chris Hemsworth, and a terrific yacht rock soundtrack, Spiderhead is a fun little slice of thrilling intrigue, even if it’s never quite as good as the sum of its parts. Truthfully, my only real complaint is that a lot of the movie, both characters and plotlines, is underdeveloped. Revelations are made without much build up, so they don’t quite resonate the way director Joseph Kosinski probably wants them to. That said, this lone flaw never makes the movie less than engrossing, but it does drop Spiderhead from potentially great to merely pretty good. PAIGE Spiderhead has an intriguing premise and a great cast, but overall, it is not a winning bingo card. This sci-fi thriller is a bland pill to swallow, honestly. Despite the success director Joseph Kosinski just had with Top Gun: Maverick , this film unfortunately comes with side effects of nausea, headaches, and disappointment. The concept needed more meat to its bones, and it left me feeling like it was missing a whole other layer. Still though, it’s enjoyable enough due to the performances of Chris Hemsworth and Miles Teller.

HIS THREE DAUGHTERS Starring: Natasha Lyonne, Elizabeth Olsen, Carrie Coon, Jovan Adepo, Jay O. Sanders, Rudy Galvan, Jose Febus, Randy Ramos Jr, and Jasmine Bracey Director: Azazel Jacobs ADRIANO His Three Daughters is a mature, heartbreaking, and bittersweet analysis of family and grief that had me blubbering. Azazel Jacobs' writing and direction ground the film to a point of uncomfortable familiarity as it examines its subjects and the past and current trauma they’ve experienced, all of which is anchored by three magnificent performances from Carrie Coon, Elizabeth Olsen, and especially Natasha Lyonne. The dynamic between the three gives way to something that devastates beyond the central premise in a way that'll make it hard not to hurt your heart at least a little bit. PAIGE His Three Daughters is a heartfelt and exquisite film that perfectly conveys the genuine, unadulterated nature of grief and sisterhood. Although the story may seem simple on the surface, it’s writer/director Azazel Jacobs’ razor-sharp, monologue-heavy script and the three riveting performances from Carrie Coon, Elizabeth Olsen, and Natasha Lyonne that leave such a powerful stamp on this film. By the end, I was moved to tears by this touching story of anticipating grief, and I believe many others will be moved by it as well. If I didn't say it's one of the year's best dramedies, I'd be lying! This film was reviewed by Adriano as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.

THE FRONT ROOM Starring: Brandy, Kathryn Hunter, and Andrew Burnap Directors: Sam Eggers and Max Eggers PAIGE While the wacky antics are somewhat entertaining to witness, The Front Room 's overarching plot is an M-E-double-S mess. The direction and depth of this unexpectedly campy movie are lacking, and its commentary goes nowhere. It's not terrifying or profound in the slightest, so I'm not sure what this film is attempting to express or accomplish. The movie feels like a short story stretched to its breaking point to become a feature-length film. To be honest, its only redeeming quality is Kathryn Hunter's unforgettable performance. PRESTON With The Front Room , it’s like the directing duo of the Eggers brothers got halfway through filming and decided, “this isn’t working, let’s try going campy.” Unfortunately, neither the serious nor the campy route end up working, resulting in a movie that comes across as a goofy (but disgusting) Goosebumps -like tale that should have been told in the same short-film style format. Additionally, Kathryn Hunter plays the annoying step-mother with such adeptness that the other characters’ reactions seem muted. Everything feels so haphazard and careless that intentions seem unmet. Thankfully, the two-hour plus run-time trend is avoided, but it’s hard to tell while watching.

NUREMBERG Starring: Russell Crowe, Rami Malek, Leo Woodall, Michael Shannon, John Slattery, Mark O'Brien, and Richard E. Grant Director: James Vanderbilt QUENTIN Although it certainly has moments when it feels more like a history lesson than it should, the fact remains that it’s a lesson some still need to learn. Through powerhouse performances, particularly from an Oscar-worthy Russell Crowe who somehow gives Hermann Göring humanity, director James Vanderbilt delivers a compelling courtroom drama that, surprisingly, mostly lets the facts speak for themselves without sensationalizing them (not that he really needed to). It can, admittedly, get a little preachy, but like I said, this is a sermon that many people still need to hear, sadly. Nuremberg is a dark horse Oscar player. AMARÚ For a two-and-a-half hour movie about one of the darkest parts of world history, Nuremberg is a breakneck tour de force of actors chewing the hell out of their respective scenery. Russell Crowe is as enticing as evil is allowed to be, Michael Shannon has a quiet force that only he can muster, and Rami Malek hasn’t been this engrossing in a long while. The gripping drama is as compellingly written and performed as an Aaron Sorkin thriller, just without the word-per-minute quota. It touches the melodramatic quite a few times, but the psychological cat-and-mouse is so intriguing that it fits the verbal tête-à-têtes quite well. NICK To anyone who forgot how good of an actor Russell Crowe is, he is here to emphatically remind you in Nuremberg . Crowe is quietly menacing as Hermann Göring, but more impressive is the humanity he brings to Adolf Hitler's second-in-command. This makes the evil hit harder, especially when contrasted against the members of the prosecution, including Rami Malek, Michael Shannon, and Leo Woodall, all of whom are great in their own right. Look, Nuremberg may feel like a history lesson, but it's one that kept me engaged the entire runtime. Also, sadly, one that is all too prevalent today. ADRIANO While in many ways Nuremberg is sluggish dad porn, I also think it's riskier than I assumed it would be. The writing, while not perfectly focused, does attempt to ask viewers to see the atrocities of the Holocaust through the lens that human beings carried them out, an angle that can be haunting (i.e., The Zone of Interest ). But James Vanderbilt's direction weighs this down. It's a tonal mismash that's lethargically paced, with cinematography as grey as a Ridley Scott movie. Despite excellent performances from Rami Malek and Russell Crowe, Nuremberg is a potentially interesting but ultimately fine film. This film was reviewed by Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2 025 Zurich Film Festival.

I LIKE MOVIES Starring: Isaiah Lehtinen, Krista Bridges, Percy Hynes White, Romina D'Ugo, and Eden Cupid Director: Chandler Levack NICK Meet Lawrence (Isaiah Lehtinen) - he’s self-centered, pretentious, sexist, and terrible to the people around him. You hate him pretty much every second he’s on screen, and that’s a testament to the performance of Lehtinen. This very Canadian indie is a refreshing take on the coming-of-age story, told through an unabashedly unlikable protagonist. There’s a great mix of humour and drama, along with some solid supporting performances, particularly by Romina D'Ugo as the Sequels Video manager. I Like Movies is a welcome feature debut from director Chandler Levack, and it will be interesting to see where she goes from here. QUENTIN The main character of I Like Movies is so unlikable that it makes it really hard to enjoy the movie. He’s a combination of the worst parts of Napoleon Dynamite and Jonah Hill’s character in Superbad . Isaiah Lehtinen does a great job of bringing this little asshole to life, but despite the film’s best efforts to make you empathize with him, he’s just so hard to root for (let alone spend 90 minutes with). Now, maybe, with time, I Like Movies will develop a love/hate cult following much like Napoleon Dynamite has, but I will fall firmly on the hate side of that coin. This film was reviewed by Nick and Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival.

THE PARENTING Starring: Nik Dodani, Brandon Flynn, Brian Cox, Edie Falco, Lisa Kudrow, Dean Norris, Vivian Bang, and Parker Posey Director: Craig Johnson NICK There is a sub-genre in comedy that I consider "intentionally cringe,” and I'll fully admit, I'm not overly a fan. This is where The Parenting fails, and even though I have disfavour towards the genre, I can still confidently say this isn't a good film. There are a couple one-liners from the talented ensemble that hit, but that's about it…unless you really enjoy some cringe. The characters are progressively irritating, and although The Parenting feels like it wants to be a parody, it never becomes one, which leaves it as another basic, kinda lame, forgettable direct-to-streaming film. KATIE I didn’t have high hopes going into The Parenting, but it ended up being one of the funniest horror comedies I’ve seen. The tone initially threw me off, but the irreverent, goofy humour and stellar performances quickly won me over. There are some misses, but the majority of the jokes land. In fact, they’re genuinely hilarious when they do, handled effortlessly by a cast that knows exactly how to deliver this kind of humour. Brian Cox, in particular, is a surprising bit of casting that pays off spectacularly. I can see myself returning to The Parenting if I need a good laugh. ROBERT I got the oddest juxtaposition of thoughts while watching The Parenting . I found myself laughing uproariously, but also, everyone working to make it enjoyable is way overqualified. It came off like a B-movie with A-list actors, propping up something that should’ve been better. It could be that I wasn’t as invested in the heart of the central relationship since it was built on less-talented individuals, but regardless, the quirky personalities of Parker Posey and all the parents kept it afloat. It is rewatchable because the humor hits at a high rate.

HAMNET Starring: Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, Jacobi Jupe, Emily Watson, Olivia Lynes, and David Wilmot Director: Chloé Zhao NICK There’s no doubt Chloé Zhao makes thoughtful films, but I've never really connected with most of her offerings. That all changed with Hamnet . In the early stages of the film, there is a lot of meditative beauty, almost like a fairytale. It’s when the love story hits the climax and the tone changes where things stand out. Both Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal give great performances here, but it's Zhao's direction that really elevates this sorrowful journey. I could feel the emotion bubbling inside me as the story grew, and when it was released, it was both cathartic and overwhelming. Zhao’s best by my count. ADRIANO Being that this is the hardest a movie has made me cry in recent memory, you'd think Hamnet is just a plea for your tears. But director/co-writer Chloé Zhao's meditation provides more than just a tear-jerker. Taking her time to show the love of this family before tragedy befalls them, we get to see incredible performances from Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, and Jacobi Jupe, and stunning cinematography from Łukasz Żal. Hamnet shows us what catharsis after unspeakable loss can look like and the healing power of art. It's hard not to see where the love is coming from here. BODE I don’t cry very often during a movie, but I’d be damned if I said that Hamnet DIDN’T leave me in a puddle of tears. In the wrong hands, this exploration of how an unspeakable loss within Shakespeare’s family inspired one of his greatest works could feel cheap, but with Chloé Zhao, that adjective need not apply. Thanks to her naturalistic, empathetic filmmaking, and the great performances she elicits from Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, and Jacobi Jupe (in the titular role), this story is elevated to deeply affecting heights. I know that some may rub up against it. I’m not one of them. AMARÚ Hamnet is quite the love story. A story I usually don’t resonate with in these slow-churn Old English movies. But a familial love that goes beyond understanding and hits every part of the soul. An understanding that transcends grief, hope, tragedy, and healing, representing how people truly become interconnected. Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal are transcendent, their enticingly wicked connection endearing you to their family’s everlasting bond, bolstered by Jacobi Jupe’s breakthrough performance, and brought home by his brother Noah in an ending that absolutely broke me. With Hamnet , director Chloé Zhao slowly entraps your heart, destroys it, then mends it back stronger. PAIGE Across the board, Hamnet is one of the very best films of the year and a beautiful, gut-wrenching tragedy. Director Chloé Zhao crafts a deeply moving tale about love, grief, and the power of art's ability to transform one’s pain. From its rich and poetic imagery to its riveting performances, the film allows its audience to feel every ounce of emotion the characters endure. Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal once again deliver breathtaking performances, but it’s newcomer Jacobi Jupe who steals the movie for me. I promise you will not leave the theater with a dry eye. ROBERT Grief is a swirling, nebulous cloud that takes many shapes and stalks people, waiting for an inopportune moment to strike. To wrangle and make sense of it takes self-reflection and usually an outlet to channel it. Watching Hamnet is like opening the heads of two whole families and viewing the grieving process as anthropomorphic pieces in each of their brains. Interestingly, it is a cinematic film, given its production design and long-range camera shots, that feels as intimate as watching Hamlet in the Globe Theater. The leads play a masterful dance with each other to elicit every emotion in human history. This film was reviewed by Nick and Adriano as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival.

LORNE Starring: Lorne Michaels Director: Morgan Neville NICK How do you tell the story of a relatively private man who doesn’t want to divulge much? You get other people to talk about him. That’s what director Morgan Neville uses to fill the gaps in the Lorne Michaels story. This is why Lorne is a fairly surface-level effort that teeters between a documentary on the man and a documentary on Saturday Night Live . Most of the interview subjects are entertaining (everyone you’d want to hear from takes part) and it's clear many share a father-like relationship with the man, like an unproblematic Vince McMahon. But there’s not a ton of knowledge to be gained. ADRIANO Lorne Michaels is clearly a figure who wanted nothing less than having a documentary made about him, and Lorne suffers by taking that concept down a too-generic path. To be fair, director Morgan Neville at least tries to work with that, and the results can be charming with its plethora of stories and interviews about Michaels. But in this pursuit to make the best out of a limited canvas, Neville fails to pick a concrete lane, waffling between a focus on Saturday Night Live ’s ambiguity or its technical aspects. In the end, Lorne winds up a watchable but uneventful documentary.

PLAYDATE Starring: Alan Ritchson, Kevin James, Banks Pierce, Benjamin Pajak, Sarah Chalke, Alan Tudyk, Isla Fisher, and Stephen Root Director: Luke Greenfield KATIE Playdate is mostly unbelievably unfunny, but against my better judgement, I did find a way to laugh at some parts. Alan Ritchson’s loveable idiot, himbo type character reminded me of Chris Pratt’s early roles, and he displays a lot of comedic potential. The child actors are also funny, and the gags involving them were responsible for the few times I laughed. However, Kevin James seemed completely disengaged, and the plot is nonsensical. Plus, there are constant terrible needle drops that do nothing for the scene, and the use of very annoying background tracks that made me feel like I was watching a TikTok video. ROBERT There appears to be a playbook at Amazon for their action comedies, and truthfully, it is only successful when the two leads are equal and buy in completely (See: Heads of State ). For Playdate , there is no balance as Alan Ritchson shows his funny bone as the dumb jock, and Kevin James seems angry that his last handful of starring vehicles stalled his movie career. The film itself is a bland, man-child buddy flick that seems long at 93 minutes. The caliber of performer they got to color in the cast for one or two scenes confirms that script quality will always lose to cash.

THE SMASHING MACHINE Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Ryan Bader, Bas Rutten, and Oleksandr Usyk Director: Benny Safdie ADRIANO With all the chatter of Dwayne Johnson's big Oscar transformation, I was shocked to see just how un-awards-bait The Smashing Machine was. Director Benny Safdie shoots this film in a documentary kind of way, not so much watching a typical triumph sports film, but a stripped-down look at what makes Mark Kerr (Johnson) tick. Johnson himself, while physically unrecognizable, gives off more of a gentle giant performance, a soft nuance I wasn't aware he was capable of. All that to say, despite it coming off as rather stake-less, I fell for the calm approach here. NICK Despite a couple of teases, I’ve been waiting to see what Dwayne Johnson can do in a serious film. Well, The Smashing Machine is his chance, and he shows how much potential is there. Going into the film, I questioned why Mark Kerr (played here by Johnson) deserved a biopic, and after leaving the film… I still question why Mark Kerr deserved a biopic. As a vehicle for Johnson to finally spread his wings, it’s a great first step. As a sports biopic, it’s fine, but an echo of countless other stories within the MMA world. Now let’s see if Johnson can keep this up. PAIGE The Smashing Machine is propelled by its stylish documentary-style filmmaking and a surprisingly vulnerable performance from Dwayne Johnson, who arguably delivers his best performance to date. He does a great job of capturing both the tough side of Mark Kerr in the ring and his more sensitive, softer side. That said, the film stands out more for its craft than its actual story; a story I found a bit too broad. With sluggish pacing, the film doesn’t know what plotline to focus on or fully expand upon, whether it’s Kerr’s turbulent relationship with his girlfriend, his career in the ring, or his struggle with addiction. As a result, Mark Kerr's story loses some of its emotional impact. AMARÚ While Dwayne Johnson delivers a tender portrayal of UFC pioneer Mark Kerr, The Smashing Machine lacks the momentum to take advantage of his performance. The film primarily takes place in Japan, and much like Kerr’s interactions with the locals, the conversation between the screenplay and the audience gets lost in translation. Every time the script picks up steam, it stumbles into the next scene without any true emotional understanding of what just happened. The fights were brutal, and the score tonally fit, but those disparate elements couldn’t come together for what amounted to a Cliff Notes version of three years of Kerr’s life. QUENTIN While the story stays a little too wavetop, never fully exploring the toxic relationship between Mark (Dwayne Johnson) and Dawn (Emily Blunt), Mark’s drug use and recovery, or the initial rise and controversy surrounding UFC, The Smashing Machine is a showcase for Johnson’s mostly unseen dramatic acting ability. He is magnetic, carrying the film on his unbelievably hulking frame. That’s not to discount Blunt’s performance or Benny Safdie’s direction — both are noteworthy — but I simply couldn’t look away from Johnson even as some emotional beats felt unearned. If this signals a definitive career pivot for the superstar, I can’t wait to see what’s next. This film was reviewed by Nick, Adriano, and Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival and the 2025 Zurich Film Festival, respectively.