A MAN IN FULL Starring: Jeff Daniels, Diane Lane, William Jackson Harper, Aml Ameen, Tom Pelphrey, Sarah Jones, Jon Michael Hill, Chanté Adams, Lucy Liu, Bill Camp, and Evan Roe Creator: David E. Kelley QUENTIN A Man in Full provides both too much and too little in its six relatively short episodes. It provides too much because there are five or so loosely connected plotlines, so pacing and momentum are an issue; it provides too little because there are so many story threads that most of them are underdeveloped (or worse, almost completely separated from the other plots, making them less engaging). That said, there are some great moments , almost all of which stem from William Jackson Harper or the contentious rivalry between Charlie (Jeff Daniels) and Harry (a fantastic Bill Camp), ultimately resulting in an unfocused acting showcase.

BLUE EYE SAMURAI: SEASON ONE Starring: Maya Erskine, George Takei, Masi Oka, Brenda Song, Darren Barnet, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Randall Park, and Kenneth Branagh Creators: Michael Green and Amber Noizumi PRESTON Blue Eye Samurai is certainly a unique take on the oft-animated trope of the lone samurai-ronin beset by perilous misadventures. Its success lies in its willingness to go to extremes, but is hindered by a somewhat disjointed narrative regarding its primary protagonist and odd gratuitous sex scenes that add little to the story. Audacious thematically, it masterfully broaches the subjects of gender roles, mixed-race, class-system hierarchy, greed, and much more. Overall, the bingeable series is beautifully violent, and the interspersed points of levity bring together a strategically cohesive ensemble cast. I am already looking forward to Season Two! QUENTIN As a person who doesn’t typically like anime, I came into Blue Eye Samurai with some trepidation. While it certainly hasn’t driven me to reassess my feelings about the entire genre, it delivers enough Tarantino-esque vibes to make for a worthwhile experience. The thematically and gratuitously adult story (there are heavy doses of nudity, sex, and violence) and the engaging animation that looks like a mix of Akira ’s traditional style, the vibrant colors of Archer , and the 3D-effect of the Spider-Verse movies, more than make up for some lackluster pacing and sometimes stilted vocal performances. If nothing else, it made me interested in Season Two.

HIT MONKEY: SEASON TWO Starring: Jason Sudeikis, Fred Tatasciore, Ally Maki, Olivia Munn, Leslie Jones, Cristin Milioti, Nat Faxon, Stephanie Beatriz, Emi Lo, Reiko Aylesworth, Tramell Tillman, Sonny Valicenti, and Rob Corddry Creators: Josh Gordon and Will Speck QUENTIN Full disclosure: even though I watched Hit-Monkey : Season One, it was way back in 2021, so I only remember broad brush strokes, such as it’s about an assassin monkey and his ghost mentor voiced by Jason Sudeikis. That’s about it, so I came into Season Two pretty cold. That notwithstanding, Season Two is a terrific surprise. Don’t let the Marvel branding fool you, either. This is as violent, bloody, and R-rated as a Tarantino movie, but it also boasts well-balanced humor and genuine emotion built on incredible character depth. Coupled with striking anime-meets-Archer animation and on-point vocal performances, you’ve got something that rivals X-Men ’97 .

PAUL T. GOLDMAN Starring: Paul T. Goldman Creators: Jason Woliner and Paul T. Goldman QUENTIN Paul T. Goldman is a wildly surreal trip that is tough to explain in 100 words, but imagine watching Tommy Wiseau’s The Room and James Franco’s The Disaster Artist , which is about the making of The Room , at the same time. Now, throw in a true crime documentary angle, and that sums up Paul T. Goldman . A pure-hearted and lovable doofus, Paul T. Goldman (the man) brings some light cringe to the screen, but he also elicits genuine laughs and feelings of sympathy. Plus, the story is just bonkers. Overall, it’s a true hidden gem of a series and a win for Peacock.

Previous Next September 26, 2024 WRITTEN BY: QUENTIN Another film festival and another week of spending way too much time in a cinema is in the books, and you know what? Fantasy FilmFest just might go down as one of my more enjoyable festival experiences. Sure, it’s not as prestigious as Cannes or Venice, and it doesn’t have the sheer volume of blockbusters as Toronto, but it was easy and stress-free. No waiting in lines for entry. No logging into a ticket portal first thing in the morning to participate in a mad dash to claim tickets. No airport security. No hotels. Just drink a beer (this is Germany, after all), watch a movie, go home. If only all festivals could be so chill. As for the movies, this probably was the most consistent festival I’ve covered. It obviously had some amazing entries, which you can read about below, but even the few weak entries weren’t outright terrible. Hell, my ranking below doesn’t hit “middling” territory until around #15. But again, maybe the lack of stress and not being constantly “on the go” just allowed me to appreciate the films a bit more. Either way, I look forward to covering Fantasy FilmFest, as well as Fantasy FilmFest White (January) and Fantasy FilmFest Nights (April) for as long as they will have me. Now, let’s get to that ranking… 24. BREATHING IN How do you review a film that is so reminiscent of another film you dislike, especially when the film you dislike is somehow revered? Is the new movie actually bad, or just not your jam? Is it a poorly done ripoff, and you can’t tell the difference? Hard to say, but that’s where I am with Breathing In , a movie that feels very much like a knockoff of The Witch (a movie I strongly dislike). Both are slow-burn, candlelit, folk-mystery bores that never engage. In fact, in Breathing In , when one character repeatedly says, “I must not fall asleep,” I felt that struggle in my soul. 23. INTERSTATE On paper, Interstate , a movie about a hitman trying to get out of the game, should be right up my alley. It has the same writer as the extremely underrated The Shallows , and festival materials reference The Godfather when highlighting it. However, I struggled to connect with it despite a few striking scenes. I admit that perhaps the slow pacing, genre mixing, and subtitles just didn’t mesh well enough to rope me in, but once it unexpectedly went supernatural, I was mostly just waiting for the 90-minute movie to end. It will probably work for some people; it just didn’t work for me. 22. A DIFFERENT MAN A Different Man is the type of not-great oddball movie that A24 stans will champion anyway just because it’s from A24. Granted, it has a lot on its mind, asking thought-provoking questions about beauty, vanity, and self-esteem. It also features strong performances, particularly from Adam Pearson. However, the characters, especially Sebastian Stan’s Edward, make too many questionable decisions, which ultimately results in a very frustrating viewing experience. On top of that, it’s a bit of a slog, and the ending provides no catharsis or satisfaction. I appreciate what writer-director Aaron Schimberg wants to do, but he doesn’t do it well enough to make the movie recommendable. 21. WAKE UP Wake Up doesn’t do anything to stand out amongst the overcrowded genres of “survive the night” slashers like Willy’s Wonderland or “you picked the wrong house!” thrillers like Don’t Breathe . Aside from one scene in neon blacklight, the kills, although super bloody, aren’t very creative, mostly relying on a “stab, stab, kill, kill” mindset. Perhaps worst of all, the Gen-Z activist victims are wholly unlikeable individuals who make the dumbest decisions, while the security guard doing his job hunting them is a rage-filled weirdo. If you aren’t rooting for the victims to not die, or for the security guard to carry out clever kills, what’s the point? 20. DARK MATCH Given its presumably small budget and indie vibe, it’s hard to be too critical of Dark Match , which has a lot in common with Green Room . Sure, the performances won’t blow anyone away, the story is extremely underwritten, and it requires some inside knowledge of professional wrestling as it casually drops terms like “kayfabe.” That said, there is enough brutal and bloody carnage to keep genre fans entertained for 90 minutes, especially if those fans also love pro wrestling. This review originally posted with Bitesize Breakdown’s coverage of the 2024 Fantasia International Film Festival. 19. STEPPENWOLF Steppenwolf was a disappointment, but that is almost entirely because my expectations were way off base. If you recall, I compared it to John Wick and Sisu in my Fantasy Filmfest preview; however, while featuring similar levels of brutally bloody violence, the tone is completely different. Steppenwolf is bleak, sharing more in common with You Were Never Really Here than the fun, stylized action movies mentioned above. Also, that somewhat depressing tone is muddled because it also tries to shoehorn light humor into the existential commentary about people’s inhumanity, which rarely works. Perhaps it will be better on the rewatch with my expectations recalibrated. 18. ESCAPE FROM THE 21ST CENTURY Escape from the 21st Century is a tremendous amount of fun until it really, really isn’t. First off, it has style to burn, looking like Scott Pilgrim vs. The World on quaaludes, mixing colorful animation, beautiful backgrounds, and video game action to create an extremely vibrant world. It even has similarly excellent needle drops and the same type of humor, which is hilarious at times. However, and I admit there could be something lost in translation since the movie is in Mandarin with English subtitles, the Everything Everywhere All at Once -inspired story is confusing and convoluted as hell, making it quick to wear out its welcome. 17. AZRAEL I’d recommend going into Azrael expecting nothing more than surface-level thrills because, if you think too hard about the vague and inconsistent world we’re given, it ruins the whole affair. Samara Weaving is an excellent and capable lead, once again proving that she should be near the top of any modern Scream Queen list (especially considering this movie has zero dialogue). However, too often I was left asking myself, “wait, but then how/why…?” Unfortunately, this results in a story that is hard to become invested in. There is plenty of bloodshed, though (and some terrific cinematography), so there is that to go along with Weaving. 16. BLOOD STAR Considering Blood Star is from a first-time director, first-time screenwriters, and features two virtually unknown leads, it’s hard to call the film anything but a success. Sure, it’s flawed, mostly in pacing (one prolonged, mid-movie, exposition dump sequence feels extremely out of place), but flaws are part of B-movie grindhouse flicks’ charm. It’s not required viewing, but I had fun with it, and John Schwab is particularly good as the villainous sheriff. More than anything, though, it left me curious to see what director Lawrence Jacomelli does in the future because Blood Star is a very sturdy debut. 15. SPEAK NO EVIL Had I gone into Speak No Evil completely blind, it likely would have ended up with a higher rating. The movie is built on a delightfully unhinged, “keep ‘em guessing” performance from James McAvoy, except if you’ve seen any of the trailers, which (in Germany, at least) were shown nonstop, there isn’t much to guess. The marketing pretty much lays out the entire movie for you. So, the first hour, which should be a slow-burn of simmering tension, just exists before lazily heading into a finale filled with generic and standard home invasion tropes. McAvoy is great, but the trailers shot this movie in the foot. 14. PROJECT SILENCE Project Silence doesn’t do anything to reinvent the wheel, but it’s entertaining enough in its own right to satisfy genre fans. The general idea here is Dawn of the Dead , but instead of zombies, it’s murderous dogs; instead of a shopping mall, it’s a collapsing bridge. Again, nothing featured is totally original, to include a comic relief character and a government conspiracy aspect, but the overall movie works because of the effortless character development and the ensemble’s easy chemistry. It won’t change your world, but if you like the “trapped by zombies” subgenre, this plotline-adjacent offering will scratch an itch. 13. A PLACE CALLED SILENCE A Place Called Silence is reminiscent of Ashley Judd’s filmography from the late ‘90s and early 2000s, namely the psychological thrillers like Kiss the Girls and Twisted . That said, Silence features enough twisty subversions and suspenseful set pieces to inject new life into a somewhat tired genre. Although I didn’t love parts of the ending, and I don’t understand why there is so much Jesus Christ imagery since there isn’t any obvious religious component at play (it’s too blatant to be coincidence), I was thoroughly engaged throughout. Side note: apparently, this is a remake of a 2022 movie, both by the same director, which is just odd. 12. SLEEP Although I’m unsure what director Bong Joon-ho saw in Sleep to call it “the most unique horror film and…smartest debut film I've seen in ten years,” that doesn’t mean it’s not still very good. At barely 90 minutes, Sleep does a great job of creating escalating tension and claustrophobia before arriving at a wild finale that provides answers in unexpected ways. Jung Yu-Mi gives a terrific performance as a mother descending into sleep-deprived madness, something I’m sure many parents (or anyone who has shared a hotel room with me and my snoring) can relate to. Overall, an effective and subversive chamber piece that’ll keep you guessing. 11. HUMANIST VAMPIRE SEEKING CONSENTING SUICIDAL PERSON When people talk about discovering hidden gems at film festivals, Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person is exactly what they are talking about. The most authentically indie-feeling movie at Venice Film Festival last year, Humanist Vampire puts a modern spin on vampire mythology to deliver a fresh, funny, and darkly sweet coming-of-age story that touches on familial pressure, adolescent expectations, teen depression, and young love. In the Q&A that followed my screening, director Ariane Louis-Seize (who won the GdA Director’s Award at Venice) referenced Let the Right One In and Lady Bird as inspirations, and I can’t describe it any better than that. This review originally posted with Bitesize Breakdown’s coverage of the 80th Venice International Film Festival (2023). 10. THINGS WILL BE DIFFERENT Considering that Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead are executive producers on Things Will be Different , I should have known what I was in for. But they were also part of the draw, so what can you do? In the end, I was given an extremely compelling puzzle-box mystery that had me on the edge of my seat, eager for whatever answers it may deliver. Except, it doesn’t really give any answers. It gives closure for these excellently acted characters and this specific story, but the broader mysteries are left floating in the ether. So, overall, it’s an engaging (and mostly worthwhile) yet frustrating experience. 9. SCARED SHITLESS When you have a movie about a plumber saving people from a genetically engineered, blood-thirsty creature that is living in a building’s plumbing system — and it has a puntastic title like Scared Shitless — you have a certain expectation. Thankfully, director Vivieno Caldinelli and the entire cast, but especially Steven Ogg, understood the assignment. This is a hilarious and bonkers throwback to 80s movies like Critters , but it’s done so skillfully that it belies its apparent Midnight Madness, B-movie inspirations. Full disclosure: I saw a 10:45pm showing of Scared Shitless after more than a few beers, and for maximum fun, I highly recommend you do the same. 8. PÁRVULOS First off, Párvulos is not at all the movie I was expecting from the poster, which makes it look like a nightmarish zombie movie in the vein of Netflix’s Black Summer . While the movie certainly gets dark towards the end with a fair amount of blood, Párvulos is an almost sweet and surprisingly funny coming-of-age story about familial bonds. The washed-out filter in which the film is shot (another poster deviation) adds an atmospheric, fairy tale vibe that helps keep even the grimmest moments from overpowering the heartfelt, hopeful, and bittersweet themes at the story’s core. All in all, an emotionally resonant surprise in every way. 7. THE WELL The Well is a throwback to ‘70s European horror that feels authentically vintage across the board. The direction, performances, score, cinematography, and production design legitimately make you feel like you’re watching a classic horror movie. The story structure of two plotlines that ultimately merge also works because it gives the viewer a creepy, supernatural, ghost aspect and a grisly, Hostel -style gorefest…and that gorefest goes hard in the paint. Combine all that with terrific practical effects and some nightmare-fueled character designs, and you end up with one of the year’s better horror movies and hidden gems. 6. KILL Although it may not add anything new to the revenge genre, that doesn’t mean Kill isn’t a violently bloody-knuckled blast. I could rattle off a list of movies it’s derivative of, but the easiest comparison is The Raid meets Bullet Train due to its confined setting, excellent fight choreography, stylized hyper-violence, and refusal to let you catch your breath. On top of that, there are just enough emotional stakes at play amongst all the gleeful carnage to add weight to the orgiastic mayhem. Kill is one of the year’s best action films, and I’d love to see it propel Lakshya to being the next Jason Statham. 5. SAỶARA Saỷara may be the darkest, most visceral, and most unrelenting revenge movie I’ve ever seen. This isn’t a stylishly done popcorn movie like John Wick , but instead a movie full of brutal scenes that are hard to look away from. Although slow to start, once the inciting incident happens, it’s a merciless string of bloody carnage that had me repeatedly saying “Goddamn.” If you’ve seen Irréversible , you know how rough that scene is, and Saỷara ’s entire second half elicits similar reactions. That may not sound enjoyable, but the level of catharsis provided by the eventual comeuppance is worth it (doubly so for Jiu-Jitsu aficionados). 4. THE WASP Although there is the subtle air of a Lifetime movie in the early goings, The Wasp is elevated by captivating performances from Natalie Dormer and especially Naomie Harris. The way Harris is able to convincingly change demeanors on a dime is super impressive, and it’s perhaps one of the better performances I’ve seen this year. On top of that, the tight script combines just enough predictability with bombshell twists to keep viewers on their toes, all while balancing escalating tension and dark levity. You can definitely tell it’s based on a stage play, but that doesn’t make this Hitchcockian psychological thriller any less effective. 3. TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS: WALLED IN With thrilling and incredible video game-inspired fight choreography (especially during the finale’s wild “Final Boss” fight) and a decent amount of character development, Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In is a total blast! The 80s throwback vibes and gritty noir-ish feel only aid in making this one of the best martial arts movies I’ve seen since maybe The Raid series (admittedly, I haven’t seen a ton of recent martial arts movies). The story beats strain credulity at times, but if you’re like me, you aren’t coming to a movie like this for the story, and Warriors more than delivers the carnage we’re all here for. This review originally posted with Bitesize Breakdown’s coverage of the 77th Cannes Film Festival (2024). 2. THE SUBSTANCE If you get squeamish with gross body-horror imagery and flat-out disgusting sounds, The Substance isn’t for you. However, for those unbothered by such things, director Coralie Fargeat delivers a hilariously audacious commentary on Hollywood ageism and the impossible beauty standards women must deal with. Demi Moore — in a brilliant bit of meta casting — gives a fearless performance that should kickstart a career comeback, while a never-been-sexier Margaret Qualley continues to show why she is one of the most in-demand young actresses working today. Despite an ending that goes on for too long, between this and Revenge , Fargeat has reached “Event Director” status in the horror genre. This review originally posted with Bitesize Breakdown’s coverage of the 77th Cannes Film Festival (2024). 1. STRANGE DARLING If you ever need a prime example of a movie that expertly subverts expectations, look no further than Strange Darling . Playing a bit like Sanctuary but with the throwback horror motifs of Pearl and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre , this is a twisty, tense, and thoroughly engaging thrill-ride. It’s also a great example of how to use non-linear storytelling to maximum effect. You’ve probably read my praise for Kyle Gallner in the past (he does solid work here too, no doubt), but he’s ultimately overshadowed by Willa Fitzgerald, whose performance drives everything happening on screen. Kudos to writer-director JT Mollner for creating something special with this one. This review originally posted with Bitesize Breakdown’s coverage of Fantastic Fest 2023.

BEEF Starring: Steven Yeun, Ali Wong, Joseph Lee, Young Mazino, David Choe, Patti Yasutake, Ashley Park, and Maria Bello Creator: Lee Sung Jin QUENTIN While I don’t agree with all the “Netflix’s Best Show Ever!!” hype, Beef certainly is one of the streaming service’s better original offerings. Steven Yeun and Ali Wong have tremendous anti-chemistry when on screen together, but the series really shines when it dives into the struggles and failures of their individual characters. The dark comedic tones, tremendous character development, and cause-and-unintentional-effect plot points give the series a heavy Coen Brothers vibe, while the surreal finale has shades of Everything Everywhere All at Once . One lingering thought is that the series would have been more impactful (and much darker) had it ended with Episode Nine, though. AMARÚ The fact that Steven Yeun made me utterly hate him is a testament to how wild Beef is. I was constantly stressed while watching this dark and dastardly clusterf*** of a show (I mean that in the best way possible). Yeun kills it as the depressed dude-bro Danny, and his douchebaggery is matched by Ali Wong’s maniacal Amy. It becomes a sport figuring out who you dislike more, yet, somehow, you still feel bad for both of them when their true emotions explode on screen. Thank God each episode is only 30 minutes long because my heart wouldn’t have survived much longer than that. PAIGE A24 has done it again! Beef is a premium, grass-fed dark comedy that takes us on an adventure of self-discovery and rage. Our two leads, Steven Yeun and Ali Wong, deliver stellar performances that allow us to dive into their characters’ psyche and imperfections, and while the show can feel overwhelming at times, it’s still worth the watch because it’s so different from anything else you’ve seen. It’s compelling, it boasts great writing, and it will definitely make you think twice before letting out some road rage. JOSEPH The themes and ideals of Beef can best be summed up with the old adage “hurt people hurt people.” Despite the marketing and initial setup, Beef is far from an outlandish comedy. In fact, calling it a comedy at all is a stretch. Instead, it functions as more of a character study that dissects the issues brought on by generational trauma and a fear of loneliness. The characters are so rich and complex that the ridiculous heights the show reaches still manage to feel believable. Beef is the type of show that hooks you in and holds your attention from beginning to end.

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