BATMAN: CAPED CRUSADER: SEASON TWO Starring: Hamish Linklater, Jason Watkins, Krystal Joy Brown, Eric Morgan Stuart, Gary Anthony Williams, John DiMaggio, Matthew Needham, Michelle C. Bonilla, and Cedric Yarbrough Creators: Bob Kane and Bruce Timm AMARÚ When you say something has upped its game, it usually means the predecessor wasn’t great. But with Batman: Caped Crusader , this second season elevates a great show to an exceptional one. Hamish Linklater now deserves mention in the annals of recognized Dark Knights, homaging Kevin Conroy while still stamping his own voice. The noir setting is gritty, humorous at the exact right moments, and brings a fresh take to the best rogues gallery in comics. More than anything, though, I’ve never seen such an unedited representation of the brutality Batman brings to Gotham. It’s surprisingly violent and damn near flawless. QUENTIN You know, it’s funny. I recently reviewed X-Men ’97 , theorizing the two-year break between seasons might have killed my interest in that series. But here comes Caped Crusader , which also had a two-year break, and my thoughts couldn’t be more different. The surprisingly brutal action, noirish animation, and art deco design remain top-notch (X-Men ’s technicals also remained strong, to be fair), but the story is far more engrossing and cohesive, merging crime-of-the-week tales featuring both favorites and deep cuts from Batman’s (Hamish Linklater) rogues gallery with the slow-burn introduction of Joker (Matthew Needham). If nothing else, Caped Crusader ’s excellence has solidified my apathy towards X-Men . Check out our reviews for Season One HERE .

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER: SEASON ONE Starring: Morfydd Clark, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Charlie Vickers, Markella Kavenagh, Daniel Weyman, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Lloyd Owen, Nazanin Boniadi, Robert Aramayo, and Owain Arthur Creators: Patrick McKay, John D. Payne AMARÚ The Rings of Power is a lesson in patience. It masterfully weaves multiple storylines together, but in following four separate plotlines, it takes a bit too long to reach a payoff. But dammit, what a payoff! For some, that slow burn may feel boring (*cough* Q *cough*) or overwrought, but for me, it brought tension to the slowly unraveling mysteries and created connections to captivating characters (especially Owain Arthur’s Durin). It even generated catharsis once the explosive climax begins tying things together in the gripping final episodes. It returned me to the beauty of Middle Earth, and I can’t wait to go back. QUENTIN While beautiful to look at…and make no mistake, it is breathtakingly gorgeous…if you aren’t already a diehard Ringer, The Rings of Power is boring as hell. The disparate storylines are just far too unwieldy and slow-moving to hold the general fan’s interest. Honestly, I still can’t tell you what the series is even “about.” The unlikable characters (especially Galadriel (Morfydd Clark)) are given weak characterizations too, and the acting comes off as wooden (though, that could be due to the bland Tolkien dialogue they are forced to deliver). As visually stunning as it may be, I can’t believe Amazon backed up the truck for this. JACOB Amazon’s The Rings of Power may not invoke the same emotion as The Lord of the Rings films from which it draws inspiration, but it’s an impressive piece of work nonetheless. Lavishly produced with one hell of a pilot, Season One immediately induces a sense of wonder and majesty in the viewer. As the story continues, there are admittedly a few awkwardly paced episodes, and for only having eight episodes total, that’s not ideal for a debut season. That said, the performances and dialogue all work well enough even then. I’ll watch Season Two, for sure.

HIJACK Starring: Idris Elba, Neil Maskell, Christine Adams, Jude Cudjoe, Max Beesley, Archie Panjabi, Eve Myles, Kate Phillips, and Ben Miles Creator: George Kay and Jim Field Smith NICK With Hijack following the 24 -method of real-time storytelling, the series aims to create tension, and does so with great effect; I caught myself sitting forward in my chair on quite a few occasions. In limited time, I was given sufficient reasons to become invested in the flight passengers, but none more so than Sam Nelson (Idris Elba). His calm, cool, and collected demeanour only added to the tension since I was just waiting for him to explode. Things get a little turbulent in the middle of the series, and the story takes some unnecessary turns, but it all culminates in an exciting finale. QUENTIN With a simple premise and an engaged Idris Elba, Hijack is a fast-paced series that will hold your interest from episode to episode even as you pick out some minor flaws. Billed as a show that takes place in real-time, that aspect never feels necessary or propulsive in the way that it did for 24 . There also are some on-the-ground side characters that feel like filler, and the hijackers aren’t all that formidable. In fact, they mostly come off as buffoons. All that said, those are very minor nitpicks for a show that remains captivating due to the story’s inherent tension and Elba’s immense watchability.

EXPLODING KITTENS: SEASON ONE Starring: Tom Ellis, Sasheer Zamata, Suzy Nakamura, Mark Proksch, Ally Maki, and Kenny Yates Creators: Matthew Inman and Shane Kosakowski QUENTIN As a fan of The Oatmeal , cats, and religious humor, Exploding Kittens had enough to pique my curiosity. Unfortunately, aside from a few snappy one-liners (“your words are darts filled with Benadryl” is one such gem), this series is as thin as one might expect an animated show based on a tabletop card game would be. It’s tamely and lazily going through the motions, failing to get as subversive, dark, or clever as The Oatmeal comics can be, and the fact that the series uses actual beep censors for the F-word really annoyed me for some reason. Overall, this is nothing more than background noise.

Previous Next March 9, 2026 With the Oscars coming up, we're once again going to launch an episode for each film the Academy Awards have nominated for Best Picture. Each day leading to the ceremony, we will release an episode, and next up is Bugonia ! Director Yorgos Lanthimos is back with his special brand of weird, while Emma Stone is back in the Best Actress race. It's an all Bitesize panel as we explore Bugonia . 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!

GOVERNMENT CHEESE: SEASON ONE Starring: David Oyelowo, Simone Missick, Bokeem Woodbine, Adam Beach, Jeremy Bobb, Louis Cancelmi, Jahi Di’Allo Winston, and Evan Ellison Creators: Paul Hunter and Aeysha Carr QUENTIN Government Cheese is an odd duck of a show. Despite its infectiously quirky energy, outstanding 60s-themed production design, brightly colored sheen, and David Oyelowo and Bokeem Woodbine doing everything they can to hook the viewer, there just isn’t much to latch on to from a story perspective. It meanders way too much, in both plot and tone, and at breakneck speed. Characters come and go so fleetingly that they hardly resonate, while seemingly major plot points are forgotten for long stretches. A little more focus would have done this series a world of good, because as is, it has no idea what it wants to be.

INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE: SEASON ONE Starring: Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid, Eric Bogosian, Bailey Bass, and Assad Zaman Creator: Rolin Jones QUENTIN As a person who only knows the story from the 1994 movie (i.e., I haven't read the book), Interview with the Vampire works on almost all fronts, particularly as a less campy, grown-up version of True Blood . The performances (Sam Reid as Lestat, especially), lavish set design, and gothic atmosphere create a fun and engaging tale about love and immortality, while also exploring themes of race, sexuality, and certain power dynamics. There are a few moments when an episode might drag a bit, but it’s so beautifully put together, it’s hardly noticeable. It’s certainly one of the better new shows of 2022.

Previous Next October 12, 2023 WRITTEN BY: QUENTIN I’m not going to lie to you. Even as a person who tracks these things, I had never heard of Zurich Film Festival until about two weeks ago. For whatever reason, it just doesn’t get anywhere near the same press coverage as the other festivals, which is wild because its lineup was on par with all the major fests, including screenings for Maestro , Poor Things , May December , and Priscilla (as well as some other major titles you’ll see below). So, considering my late awareness of its existence, the fact that I just spent ten days at Venice Film Festival (making it hard to travel for another full week), and the number of movies on the Zurich slate that I had already seen, I was only able to make it to Zurich Film Festival for its final weekend. However, despite the quick turnaround, I still was able to view seven movies, nearly all of which were anticipated titles that didn’t screen at Venice. As for the festival itself? It was leaps and bounds better than Venice. The city was better, the logistical aspects of the festival were better, the people were nicer, and it was just more accessible. My hope is that next year, I’ll make it to Cannes Film Festival for the first time, but if that doesn’t come to fruition, Zurich should by no means be considered a consolation prize. It just might be the best film festival I’ve attended in person so far. Now, let’s talk about those movies…. 7. MEMORY With this being one of the few films I missed in Venice, I was happy to get a second chance at it in Zurich. Sadly, I learned that I didn’t actually miss anything worthwhile. Sure, it has decent performances from Jessica Chastain and Peter Sarsgaard (the latter of which won Best Actor in Venice somehow), but neither are performing at the top of their game. Most importantly, though, the story sets up several fascinating pathways for it to explore, but then never follows through. In fact, it leaves so many intriguing plot threads dangling that one must wonder if this final product is the director’s true vision, or if the studio made cuts to remove some potentially controversial story beats. 6. EILEEN Despite tremendous era-specific production design and terrific performances from Anne Hathaway and especially Thomasin McKenzie (with a great Boston accent), this slow-burning, twisty, coming-of-age thriller is just a tad too slow for its own good, while also featuring a third act that almost feels as if it’s from a completely different movie. Still though, at only 96 minutes, the chemistry and psychosexual tension between Hathaway and McKenzie, not to mention a great supporting turn from Shea Whigham, are more than enough to keep viewers mostly engaged until the end. 5. DUMB MONEY When one considers how recent the events of Dumb Money are, as well as the film’s very surface-level exploration of said events, it almost feels like the team behind this movie were in such a hurry to push it out to theaters before people forgot about the GameStop short squeeze that they weren’t terribly focused on making it interesting. Yeah, it’s shiny, features an all-star cast, and has a bangin’ soundtrack, but the characters aren’t really developed at all. They are essentially NPCs, only there to navigate the viewer through the highlights of this topic’s Wikipedia page. Overall, this feels like algorithmic filmmaking at its most money-grabbing. 4. KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON Look, I’m as surprised as you are. Going into the festival, I fully expected Killers of the Flower Moon to be the easy number one choice, but here we are. Broadly speaking, it features all the things you’d expect from those involved: great cinematography, powerhouse performances, strong themes, important messaging, and interesting directorial flourishes. However, at 3.5 hours, it has massive pacing issues. Some parts are extremely rushed while others are incredibly sluggish, not to mention some questionable editing that makes it hard to recognize over how many years this story takes place. All in all, it’s good, but it’s far from great…and it’s definitely not the masterpiece I heard about coming out of Cannes. 3. SALTBURN Saltburn , writer-director Emerald Fennell’s follow-up to the excellent Promising Young Woman (her feature directorial debut, for which she won Best Original Screenplay), ultimately feels like the result of a filmmaker being given creative control too soon after a breakout. Despite outstanding performances, beautifully shot scenes, and a tremendously engaging setup, the second half simply has too much going on. It’s overstuffed, rushed, and underdeveloped. It’s still very good, mind you, and Fennell is an amazing talent; however, it may have been better as a miniseries in order to flesh out the back end a bit more. Or maybe Fennell just needed someone to give her some honest notes to rein it in a bit. 2. WICKED LITTLE LETTERS If Flower Moon is the festival’s surprise disappointment, Wicked Little Letters is the surprise overachiever. I’ve often been accused of not liking “lady movies,” but this cheeky little gem is raunchily (in language only) delightful. Admittedly, a charmingly crass Jessie Buckley and Olivia Colman simply doing what Olivia Colman does can cover for a lot of flaws, but it’s not like this easy-going mystery has many flaws to begin with. It may feel slight, especially pertaining to the mystery aspect, but it’s an enjoyably simple watch that ultimately entertains. Think of it as the movie version of a good “beach read.” 1. DREAM SCENARIO I know what you’re thinking: “Of course, your top ranked movie is the Nicolas Cage movie.” And, yeah, I get it. That said, I didn’t plan this. I already told you that I fully expected Flower Moon to be here. In any case, Dream Scenario is part absurdist comedy and part surreal horror, which gives Cage multiple opportunities to show his impressive range…and show it he does. He nails what is asked of him on both sides of that coin, while the story delivers timely messages on the consequences of fame and cancel culture, even as it struggles to fill the entire 100-minute runtime adequately. More interestingly, though, it’s an incredibly layered metaphor for the Memeification of Cage, touching on the idea in a more intelligent and cerebral way than The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent . Photo Credits: Toronto International Film Festival

Previous Next With films like Dumb Money, Pain Hustlers, and more coming out this season, we decided it was a good time to look at other films based on true events. So, the Bitesize crew has put their brains together to compile Bitesize Breakdown's consensus Top Five Films Inspired By A True Story. For inclusion on this list, a film must be focused on an event over a particular individual. This means no biopics. Each writer ranks his or her top 15 films in the category. Those lists are then weighted on a reverse point system. After all the points are tallied up, the entries with the most total points make up the Bitesize Top Five. 5. TITANIC While the love story and Heart of the Ocean in director James Cameron’s Titanic may not have been based on actual events, the sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912 by way of an iceberg and hubris obviously was. Although the film contains both historical and fictional aspects, there’s no denying that this Best Picture winner, which won eleven Oscars in total (not to mention being the highest grossing movie of all time for 12 years until it was unseated by Avatar , another Cameron film), has an absolutely stellar production design and a heartbreaking story that is real and memorable. - Paige 4. MONEYBALL This look at the inner workings of a sports franchise both on and off the field is among the best sports films ever made. Led by a star-studded cast, including an Oscar-nominated Brad Pitt, an Oscar-nominated Jonah Hill (in the performance of his career), the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, and a young Chris Pratt, Moneyball examines a moment of significant change in the history of baseball. The introduction of sabermetrics and analytics could easily have been boring, but this film is filled with enough hope, tension, and turmoil to go with the excellent performances throughout. - Nick 3. ALMOST FAMOUS Loosely based on writer-director Cameron Crowe’s own experiences as a teenage writer for Rolling Stone magazine in the 70s, Almost Famous is ultimately the coming-of-age story for multiple characters from different backgrounds, told against the backdrop of a touring rock band. We get to witness young and innocent William (Patrick Fugit), the entire band of Stillwater (but especially lead guitarist Russell (Billy Crudup)), veteran groupie and “Band-Aid” Penny Lane (Oscar-nominated Kate Hudson), and even William’s mother (Oscar-nominated Frances McDormand) find themselves through sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll (in addition to love, friendship, and regret). With a classic rock soundtrack that slaps and a deep ensemble cast, Almost Famous is as charming and heartfelt as it is compellingly irresistible and surprisingly relatable. - Quentin 2. THE SOCIAL NETWORK When you have arguably two of the most well-crafted movie scenes of the 21st century, featuring perfectly cast actors speaking perfectly written dialogue directed by the exact perfect person, it’s no wonder your film tops damn near every list it’s eligible for. The Social Network takes what, on the surface, looks like completely boring subject matter (“really, a Facebook movie??”) and provides a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it paced thrill ride of words too smart for you to not give your full attention to. It’s the same reason why I absolutely loved Sorkin’s ill-fated The Newsroom , except this time, there was no denying his lightning fast quips when he had David Fincher by his side running the ship. - Amarú 1. SAVING PRIVATE RYAN For decades, Saving Private Ryan has been the quintessential war flick for many reasons. Of course, it's an emotional powerhouse featuring some of Steven Spielberg's greatest work behind the camera to date. Also, though, right out of the gate, it is an immersive and stomach-turning film thanks to the hauntingly realistic 24-minute sequence on Omaha Beach. The D-Day sequence is arguably one of the most unforgettable moments in cinematic history, putting us into the terrifying, mud-filled shoes of the soldiers during one of the most devastating battles of all time. But what makes Saving Private Ryan so unforgettable is the humanizing portrait of the soldiers told through a grounded and heartbreaking approach to the reality of war, something that subsequent war films have tried to replicate, but have rarely duplicated. - Adriano HONORABLE MENTIONS FORD V FERRARI ARGO REMEMBER THE TITANS A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN SPOTLIGHT Photo Credits: Photo 1 - Paramount Pictures; Photo 2, 4 - Sony Pictures Releasing; Photo 3 - Columbia Pictures; Photo 5 - DreamWorks Pictures

THE RIGHTEOUS GEMSTONES: THE FINAL SEASON Starring: Danny McBride, Adam Devine, Edi Patterson, Tony Cavalero, Cassidy Freeman, Gregory Alan Williams, Tim Baltz, John Goodman, Skyler Gisondo, Walton Goggins, Stephen Dorff, Megan Mullally, Michael Rooker, and Seann William Scott Creator: Danny McBride ADRIANO After this season’s premiere became my series favourite, the rest of The Righteous Gemstones' farewell season gives us what we expect from its morally corrupt televangelist family: some of the hardest laughs and most fascinating characters you'll see all year, despite some narrative bumps. What separates this season from the rest of the show is not only its closure (duh), but also how sincere creator Danny McBride was in his last go, giving us a look at what religion can do for people when it's not exploited, making this a very bittersweet and hilarious bon voyage to a very underrated show. KATIE The final season of The Righteous Gemstones solidifies it as one of the funniest, most original shows I’ve seen. The first episode is so good that I’d even recommend it to those who don’t watch the show, and despite a mid-season lull, it finishes off strong with a satisfying, unexpectedly emotional finale. Every cast member is completely dedicated to the show’s ridiculous absurdity, which combined with the Gemstone’s genuine faith and belief, makes everything so much funnier. The sincerity of The Righteous Gemstones is one of the reasons it works so well, and sets it apart from anything else on TV. BODE Since its start in 2019, The Righteous Gemstones has tackled megachurch culture and the hucksters who populate it with the same kind of vulgar humour and sincere pathos that creator / star Danny McBride has been specializing in as far back as Eastbound & Down (still a masterpiece of a sitcom). The show’s final season finds new and absurd ways to double down on both, and its incredible ensemble delivers every moment with full-throated commitment, right down to its bittersweet finale. If there’s any time for the Emmys to get behind this grossly underrated gem in a big way, it’s now. QUENTIN My only real complaint about The Righteous Gemstones ’ final season is, outside of Kelvin’s (Adam DeVine) storyline, there just isn’t much finality. I don’t exactly know how I expected it all to end, but I think I expected more than what I was given. But that is only applicable as far as series finales go because, otherwise, it’s another hilariously raunchy, incredibly dark, and surprisingly heartfelt offering about a ridiculous family that I’ve enjoyed over these past four seasons. Plus, it gave me "Teenjus," “Turn the Other Cheek,” and other gems from Baby Billy (Walton Goggins), so perhaps it gave me everything I needed after all. Check out our reviews for Season Three HERE .

Previous Next October 26, 2023 WRITTEN BY: NICK Although I’ve had the chance to virtually cover this festival in the past, this was my first time attending Toronto After Dark in person. It won’t be my last. The fanbase for this festival is rampant, and it felt like a more controlled Midnight Madness screening at the Toronto International Film Festival. Plus, the Q&As were more fan centric, even featuring some of the participants giving away merchandise from their films. It helped create a very special vibe. Due to time constraints, I was only able to attend the Opening and Closing Night Screenings, but this did allow me to see Late Night with the Devil , which I’d missed at this year’s Fantasia Fest, as well as a strong collection of short films. It was a good time, not a long time… but here is my wrap-up of Toronto After Dark 2023. THE LAST EXIT The Last Exit (aka Little Bone Lodge ) is quite the ride. What starts off feeling like a run-of-the-mill home invasion thriller soon becomes something far more interesting. Director Matthias Hoene isn’t afraid to take big swings, and while they don’t all pay off, the attempts should be commended. The film is more than just the sum of its twists, however, as Joely Richardson and Neil Linpow are the ones who really sell the somewhat convoluted script with honest performances. The Last Exit isn’t without flaws – it’s low on re-watch value and drags a little – but it’s bound to keep your attention. IT'S A WONDERFUL KNIFE No question, there are moments in It’s a Wonderful Knife that work – Justin Long’s over-the-top mayor is ridiculous enough to be funny, for example. However, where the film falters is in its unwillingness to go full spoof. The comedic aspects of the film are its strongest facets, but they’re bogged down by a desire to be taken seriously. You could still have the entertaining horror moments, such as the strobe sequence, and maintain the tone of a parody, but by not going that route, It’s a Wonderful Knife becomes a slightly below average horror flick that feels destined to be forgotten. LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL Late Night with the Devil is an impressive feat. The film not only transports you back in time to the 1970s, but it does so while seamlessly blending its timeline into our actual past. This smart directorial decision makes everything feel authentic to the period. David Dastmalchian plays the host of the proceedings, and he channels the squeaky-clean cheese of yesteryear with an era-perfect performance. You feel as if you’re sitting in the audience of this supposed pivotal moment in time, and it makes for a special theatrical experience. Go out of your way to catch this one when it releases wide. SHORTS Although we only cover feature films and series with our patented bitesize reviews, with a festival like this, it only seems fair that we give somewhat equal time to the 10 short films I was able to check out, just with an even smaller bite… a nibble so to speak… BYE-BYE is a short that feels like a teaser trailer. It’s a nice little snippet of horror, like a nightmare you dozed into. BIRD HOSTAGE is ridiculous in the best way possible. Not quite a horror, this quirky tale of a housesitter and a bird is a good time. Oh, and the bird is voiced by Jay Baruchel. Need I say more? POOL PARTY spends the majority of its runtime setting up a finale that it doesn’t earn. It’s an interesting premise with lacklustre execution. GAMESMANSHIP was a highlight of the short films. It’s a clever premise (which I won’t spoil) that is well executed thanks to some quality humour and effects. I’m glad I got to see this one with an audience. MYSTERY BOX is a poorly acted short that fails to build the suspense it necessitates. Its cliff-hanger conclusion is neither satisfying, nor does it leave any interest in a continuation. FORGOTTEN LAKE feels more like a TV ad or an SNL horror-themed skit than anything that should be taken seriously. That said, it is self-aware, so that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. CAMP doesn’t do anything to make itself stand out; it plays like a singular scene from a movie instead of being a fully fleshed-out idea. DEMON BOX is a documentary about the making of a film, so it’s like watching a film with the director’s commentary on. A personal story for the director, he goes over the reality of growing up a Jewish child who fears Nazis. SOUL PROPRIETOR flips the exorcism trope on its head in this comical short with just enough legs to stretch into a feature. THRIVING: A DISASSOCIATED REVERIE is another winner from the duo of Nicole Bazuin and Andrea Werhun! Much like their prior shorts Modern Whore and Last Night at the Strip Club , this is a well-done character study featuring sharp directorial decisions. Photo Credits: Toronto After Dark

WEREWOLF BY NIGHT Starring: Gael García Bernal, Harriet Sansom Harris, Laura Donnelly, Kirk R. Thatcher, Eugenie Bondurant, Leonardo Nam, Daniel J. Watts, Al Hamacher, and Richard Dixon Director: Michael Giacchino AMARÚ Michael Giacchino is the modern day GOAT composer because he always understands the assignment. His musical ability allows him to be entertaining, ethereal, or epic…or all three at once…and he applies that talent to his directorial debut, Werewolf By Night . Combining a 1940s black-and-white horror aesthetic, schlock and scares reminiscent of Murder By Death , and the MCU’s charming action and comedy stylings, he delivers a deftly sleek hour of entertainment perfectly fit for spooky season. The man. Understood. The assignment. Also, more of Jack (Gael García Bernal) and Ted (Carey Jones), please and thank you. QUENTIN I’m not entirely sure where the disconnect is for me, but I didn’t love Werewolf by Night as much as I loved individual things about it. I dug the “classic monster movie” vibe with the black and white, but that also made the Marvel special lack vibrancy. Some scenes were very muddled and lifeless. Also, the Disney-ness of it all held back the spookiness, and the 53-minute runtime didn’t allow for great character development. That said, I loved the idea behind the show, the music is great, and I’d watch a whole series about Ted (Carey Jones). I dunno, I’m just really torn on this one.