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OH, CANADA Starring: Richard Gere, Jacob Elordi, Uma Thurman, Victoria Hill, Michael Imperioli, Penelope Mitchell, and Kristine Froseth Director: Paul Schrader QUENTIN Despite what other critics and Rotten Tomatoes might have you believe, director Paul Schrader hasn’t made a great movie in years. Sadly, Oh, Canada keeps that streak alive. The weird thing is that there are several things to like here, including a terrific performance from Richard Gere, poetic dialogue, and a great Americana-folk soundtrack, but all those things are squandered by lethargic and muddled storytelling that lacks passion. It wants so hard to be a melancholy treatise on life, death, and the regrets in between, yet it fails to make you care enough about the character to care at all about his remorse. NICK I keep giving modern Paul Schrader films a chance, but it seems his work just isn't for me. In fact, Oh, Canada may just be my least favourite yet. Although it's nice to see Richard Gere back on screen, and he's quite good in the film, Schrader has crafted something fairly boring, and every extra flourish he attempts in order to enhance things falls flat. Whether it's playing with timelines or colours (the black & white shots lack any vibrancy), I found myself waiting for the end, and even that wasn't very satisfying. I think Schrader may have run out of chances. ADRIANO Thank God, Oh, Canada is short because I struggled through this one. Richard Gere and Jacob Elordi are great, but writer/director Paul Schrader's meditation on life and taking into account one's regrets winds up being self-indulgent to the point where the film's thesis gets lost. Schrader’s approach is just too all over the place to even respect the ambition. Not every directorial and writing decision is awful, but the vast majority are a huge miss. On top of that, the ending is laughably bad. Granted, I haven't loved late-stage Schrader, but this is my least favourite from him. This film was reviewed by Quentin, Nick, and Adriano as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival and 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, respectively.

JOKER: FOLIE À DEUX Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Harry Lawtey, Steve Coogan, and Zazie Beetz Director: Todd Phillips QUENTIN In Folie à Deux , Joaquin Phoenix seamlessly slides back into the character for which he won an Oscar, and Lady Gaga’s songbird talents are perfectly cast as the relative light to his darkness. That alone would make it worth your time. However, unlike Joker , this sequel actually has something to say, using a subtle meta touch to explore themes of celebrity, obsession, reality v. fantasy, and scandal as entertainment. It’s not flawless, admittedly, as the musical numbers contribute to disjointed pacing issues, but we’re still left with a sequel that, although not quite as good as its predecessor, is more ambitious, which makes it more worthy of respect. PAIGE Folie à Deux attempts to build a mountain, but is barely able to climb a hill due to its pacing issues. Don’t get me wrong, its cinematography is stunning, and the performances are solid - Joaquin Phoenix doesn’t miss a beat as Arthur Fleck, aka Joker, and Lady Gaga is a great addition as Harley (although her character needed to be more fleshed out) - but the film just never really finds its rhythm. The movie feels somewhat hollow as it lacks the depth and impact its predecessor left on its viewers. I do admire it for taking some bold swings, but sadly not all of them land here. AMARÚ Folie à Deux is a logical successor to the mean-spirited 2019 original, which is wild because making a musical follow-up to a crime drama is a big nonsensical swing. But swings hit if they make sense, and the conceit fit Arthur Fleck’s (Joaquin Phoenix) and Lee Quinzel’s (Lady Gaga) brand of crazy. Writer/director Todd Phillips carries over the dark and harrowing tone to continue this story’s flashlight on a descent into madness, not just for the clown couple, but for sensationalization everywhere. I won’t watch it again, as both films left me empty, but I knew that coming in, so for me it worked. ADRIANO Like its predecessor, Folie à Deux is a film that boasts excellent visuals and great central performances that stand in for a subtextually empty film. However, this one's plot lacks any cohesion and depth, and despite how loud he screams, co-writer/director Todd Phillips' attempted themes of fantasy and unearned folk heroes in relation to how the first film was perceived end up hollow. Plus, the musical incorporation is useless time fodder for the most part. It's a film that squashes what fans loved about the first one while doing nothing to disprove the detractors. So, who is this for? PRESTON If you’ve read my previous article (HERE ), then you know I’m a fan of musicals. Folie à Deux is no exception as a demented and, altogether, depressing entry. From the Greas e-like cartoonish intro, I was hooked. Joaquin Phoenix puts up an Oscar worthy performance that had me chuckling, at times, at his superbly nuanced facial expressions. My few detractors are: the way in which Lee Quinzel’s (Lady Gaga) arc falls, its sheer dispiriting nature, and how some of the later musical numbers arrest the once steady pacing. Overall, I applaud director Todd Phillips for this ambitious and appropriately unsatisfying sequel. KATIE Folie à Deux , regardless of its faults, is an impressively ambitious follow-up to the success of Joker . Although I’m not a fan of its predecessor, I love a jukebox musical, so I really appreciated the direction this film took, as well as the gorgeous visuals and lavish musical performances. The pacing is, however, impacted by all the musical numbers being too tonally similar without enough room to breathe. Joaquin Phoenix gives a committed performance, but Lady Gaga and her incredible voice steal the show, even whilst being underutilised and her character undeveloped. NICK I'm not here to tell you Joker: Folie À Deux works, it doesn't. It fails to expand on the Arthur Fleck character or justify its musical aspects. That said, some of the criticism has been a little extreme. This is no train wreck, it's a swing and a miss. Joaquin Phoenix is as committed as ever (though I would have liked to see more Joker) and I had no issues with Lady Gaga's performance. It's a little out there, sure, but it shows ambition. From the moment it was announced, this always felt like an unnecessary sequel and that's exactly what it turned out to be. This film was reviewed by Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2024 Zurich Film Festival.

THANKSGIVING Starring: Nell Verlaque, Patrick Dempsey, Addison Rae, Jalen Thomas Brooks, Tomaso Sanelli, Milo Manheim, Gabriel Davenport, Jenna Warren, and Rick Hoffman Director: Eli Roth PAIGE While I was hoping Thanksgiving would have kept more with the grindhouse distortion style, I must admit this flick is still a bloody fun time. It’s stuffed with ridiculousness that will have you eating up its holiday-themed kills, and director Eli Roth seems to be having a blast crafting the creative mayhem. Even though this film is absurd and it doesn’t have the most compelling story, this B-horror movie knows it’s over-the-top, embracing every bit of it. If you're a sucker for cheesy slashers, this one's for you. Just don’t expect to care much about the one-dimensional characters. CALEB Director Eli Roth’s latest effort features everything you could possibly want from a great slasher flick. It’s got fun kills, an intimidating antagonist, and an engaging mystery. The whole Thanksgiving shtick is a lot of fun too. I love how they incorporate the holiday’s trademarks into the violence. The only real gripe I have with the film is its protagonist. Jessica (Nell Verlaque) isn’t necessarily a terrible character, but she’s pretty forgettable as far as final girls go. Outside of that, there’s barely anything to complain about. I went into Thanksgiving hoping for a good time, and that’s exactly what I got. ADRIANO I'm not a robot. I can even be a sicko sometimes, and Thanksgiving fulfilled my sicko needs. While lacking in substance, Eli Roth's latest slasher makes up for it with pure genre entertainment. The movie has kills for days; absolutely brutal ones too. Heads fall off, internal organs are exposed…it's a massacre, and I am here for it. I also love a horror flick like this one that is more dependent on the tense atmosphere than lazy jump scares. Its mystery can be interesting, though its reveal and explanation aren't very satisfying. Nonetheless, this film was a blast from start to finish. PRESTON I almost feel compelled to rate Thanksgiving slightly differently when compared to more “serious” films because director Eli Roth’s intention is perfectly met when one examines the final product. You know exactly what you’re going to get from a Thanksgiving-pilgrim-disguised-killer premise. In the end, you get a no-holds-barred slasher in all its gory glory that has surprising humor with some beautifully cheesy one-liners. For all you B-horror movie fans out there, this could be your chance to convert some of your more skeptical, highbrow friends. Go watch it together and have fun; you’ll be thankful you did!

WHO KILLED THE MONTREAL EXPOS? Starring: Felipe Alou, Jeremy Filosa, Claude Brochu, David Samson, Vladimir Guerrero, Pedro Martinez, and Larry Walker Director: Jean-François Poisson NICK Although a definitive answer would have been great, Who Killed the Montreal Expos? is more about laying out the facts and letting all parties state their case. Unfortunately, most of the people involved aren't particularly engaging, with only the former players (Pedro Martinez, Larry Walker) holding my attention. The heartbreak of the city is evident, and you can't help but feel for the people of Montréal; not just because they lost their team but because their story is told in such a lacklustre documentary. If you don’t know the backstory, maybe you’ll find something here. If you do, don’t expect much. ROBERT After the success of The Last Dance during COVID, I assumed sports documentaries about 90s-era teams would air every other week, but it didn’t turn out that way. The plight of the Montreal Expos is often thought of by baseball fans, but it hardly ever comes up in mainstream discussions anymore. Being able to take a thoughtful look into all the reasons why the Expos had to move to Washington D.C., destroying the fan base in Montreal in the process, is fascinating, though its composition is a bit turbulent as it jumps back and forth in time. QUENTIN Have you seen the internet joke, “before memes, guys just sat around yelling the names of 90s baseball players at each other?” Who Killed the Montreal Expos? is basically a 90-minute documentary that offers little more than that. Sure, there’s a short love letter to the fans of Montreal, as well as some dry facts as to why the Expos relocated to Washington D.C. to become the Washington Nationals; however, most of my limited enjoyment simply came from watching old baseball highlights and doing Leo-pointing-meme at random players from my youth, like Marquis Grissom and, one of my all-time favorites, Larry Walker.

NOPE Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Steven Yeun, Brandon Perea, and Michael Wincott Director: Jordan Peele JACOB Nope may not boast the subtext of Get Out or the ambition of Us , but it’s every bit as worthy of the praise heaped upon it. Expertly shot by cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema and featuring stellar sound design, filmmaker Jordan Peele’s latest is a genuine thrill ride meant to be seen on the largest theater screen possible. Keke Palmer and Daniel Kaluuya hold the gaze of every gorgeous frame even as scene-stealer Brandon Perea shares it, and the set-pieces are as tense as the best of Peele’s other works. This is the quintessential summer thriller of 2022. AMARÚ Filmmaker Jordan Peele has mastered the intense slow burn. His third directorial outing, Nope , takes every second of its 131-minute runtime to engulf your attention and immerse you into this world. That same care is taken with its endearing cast too. Peele capitalizes on each actors’ strength, fully utilizing Keke Palmer’s charm, Daniel Kaluuya’s stoicism, Michael Wincott’s intensity, and Brandon Perea’s earnestness, all of which aid in marrying you to this harmonious ensemble through a story that is best entered sight unseen. Jordan Peele’s mind is wild, and Nope officially places him amongst the ranks of best event-movie directors. QUENTIN From a technical perspective, Nope is probably filmmaker Jordan Peele’s best film yet. You can really see his growth as a filmmaker in the imagery, cinematography, and use of light and sound. From an entertainment standpoint, while Nope is still good, it’s also the weakest of his three offerings. It’s slow moving enough that the film feels longer than it actually is, and it feels so much like Signs that the originality Peele is known for takes a bit of a backseat. Again though, let me reiterate, it’s still good and worth your time; it’s just not as good as Us or Get Out . PAIGE Nope is out of this world, and big ol’ YUP in my book. It’s this generation's Close Encounters of the Third Kind , but with enough originality to make it one of the most stunning and eerie films in recent memory. Unfortunately, I was never fully invested in these characters, which kept me in the clouds throughout the film, but that doesn’t take away from the great direction of Jordan Peele, the amazing sound design, or the performances. You will look up into the sky differently after seeing this flick. ADRIANO Insert obligatory “more like ‘Yup’” joke here. But seriously, Nope truly is great. It’s not perfect in any sense of the word, as the characters are kinda one-note and don’t have much of an arc, but Nope is all about spectacle. Writer/director Jordan Peele definitely delivers on that front. Visually, it looks stunning, thanks in part to cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema, and it’s one of those movies that I feel benefits from an IMAX screen. Plus, as is always the case with Peele, it’s a well-written and creepy puzzle box of a film with layers that may take multiple viewings to peel off.

THE BEEKEEPER Starring: Jason Statham, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Josh Hutcherson, Bobby Naderi, Minnie Driver, Phylicia Rashad, David Witts, and Jeremy Irons Director: David Ayer NICK If you're coming to The Beekeeper looking for innovation, intricate storytelling, and Shakespearean dialogue, then obviously you'll bee highly disappointed. In fact, expectations are going to bee the main thing working against Beekeeper as it probably shouldn't have been a theatrical release. Beekeeper is filled with by-the-numbers action, a plethora of bee references, and Jason Statham doing his best Terminator impression. Something like that could have caught on as a streaming release, but when you're asking people to pay money, it's just not up to snuff. Although it gets credit for beeing self aware, Beekeeper just doesn’t justify a theatrical release… and that stings. AMARÚ In the movie doldrums of January, The Beekeeper is exactly the cathartic revenge fantasy you want to watch: Jason Statham beating the shit out of assholes who need to die. It’s funny enough (intentional and otherwise) to add to the entertainment, and takes itself seriously enough to make you care. And that’s what these movies need - a semblance of care - in order to work. Then, all of the other ridiculousness falls right into its gleeful, violent place. Plus, the ensemble is excellent in picking just the right amount of schlock to elevate this to the best “Jason Statham” movie I’ve seen in years. ADRIANO If you've ever seen a Jason Statham movie, you've seen The Beekeeper . It’s 100 minutes of Statham making one face as he encounters no real danger, which makes all the action tensionless, aside from one fight scene towards the end that has some weight. Also, for an R-rated movie, the violence is mostly bloodless. Mix in the nonsensical plot and really bad supporting performances, the only thing worthwhile about this movie is the comical amount of bee puns. I'm sure some will have more fun with this than I did, but I did not enjoy it at all. CALEB As far as John Wick clones go, The Beekeeper could have been a lot worse. The world-building, character work, and dialogue are all pretty mediocre, but the action is just fun enough to keep the ship afloat. Sure, there’s a few too many jump-cuts, but the choreography is stellar and, as always, Jason Statham gives a great physical performance. It kept me entertained throughout the first half, but it somewhat lost me once it started taking itself too seriously. It won’t change your life, but if you’re looking for a competently made action flick, then The Beekeeper might just be up your alley. PRESTON There are really only three things wrong/unrealistic with David Ayer’s The Beekeeper : first is the terrible blue hat that doesn’t quite look right on Jason Statham’s head; second is the ability to turn off a fire alarm for an entire house with the push of a single button; and finally, the irresponsible wasting of farmer’s market quality honey that hurts one’s soul. Everything else was super realistic *smirk* and, given its intentions, top-notch. Statham’s teep kick continues to be on-point, and Bobby Naderi and Josh Hutcherson put up nice performances in this fun, John Wick -esque B-action film. KATIE If you’re not prepared to enjoy hilariously bad dialogue, non-stop action, Jason Statham doing his best stoic Jason Statham performance, and an abundance of terrible bee puns, this is not the film for you. However, if you’re looking for a paint-by-numbers action flick with plenty of violence, vigilante justice, and a barely legible premise, The Beekeeper is really quite fun! Statham is undeniably engaging, and whilst some of the combat sequences become a little monotonous and the performances are unconvincing, it's a good bit of mindless entertainment. QUENTIN The Beekeeper features Jason Statham Stathaming as hard as he has ever Stathamed, and for me, that’s all I need from movie like this. It’s a delightfully retro action movie that doesn’t make a ton of sense — the kind that would have starred Arnold Schwarzenegger or Sly Stallone in the early 90s — but you aren’t coming to The Beekeeper for mental stimulation and substance. You come to watch a badass mow through faceless goons as he dispenses vigilante justice and spouts one-liners. Is it good? Not technically. Is it enjoyable? You better BEE-lieve it.

SLUMBERLAND Starring: Marlow Barkley, Jason Momoa, Kyle Chandler, Chris O’Dowd, and Weruche Opia Director: Francis Lawrence PAIGE Slumberland will spark your imagination, and it's a cute and charming film that lets Jason Momoa’s goofiness shine. That said, while I give the film props for its scope and creativity, it ultimately falls flat when it comes to executing its main focus of learning to deal with grief. It just wasn’t as emotionally engaging as it should have been. I understand it’s a family film, but, c’mon, pull at my heartstrings just a little. With a better script, this film could have been the kid’s version of Inception . JOSEPH While Slumberland is not the most unique attempt at detailing a fantasy world of dreams, it is quite fun. It reminded me a bit of James and the Giant Peach , though I wouldn’t say it reaches the highs of that film. Plus, Jason Momoa plays goofy surprisingly well, even if at times it veers into overly childish. Overall, I found Slumberland to be a heartwarming and visual treat that adults and children can both enjoy.

AUDREY'S CHILDREN Starring: Natalie Dormer, Clancy Brown, Jimmi Simpson, Evelyn Giovine, and Brandon Micheal Hall Director: Ami Canaan Mann KATIE Audrey’s Children is a heartfelt and moving film about the legacy of Dr. Audrey Evans’ transformative work. Natalie Dormer is fantastic and brings a passionate energy to the role of Audrey, and has great chemistry with co-star Jimmi Simpson (Dr. Dan D’Angio). I just would have liked more exploration of Dr. Audrey Evans's life before working at the Hospital of Philadelphia, and more insight into what drives her to be the incredible woman she clearly was. Overall, Audrey’s Children is beautifully shot and succeeded in engaging me in a true story I knew nothing about previously, whilst highlighting Dr. Audrey Evans’ impact. AMARÚ As with many biopics that cover extraordinary people in extreme circumstances, Audrey’s Children goes as its performances go. Luckily, Natalie Dormer is electric as pediatric oncologist Dr. Audrey Evans, and she is further bolstered by magnificent against-type support from Jimmi Simpson (playing strong/silent instead of weird/silent) and Clancy Brown (playing good-guy mentor instead of bad-guy badass). Even more fortunate is that Ami Canaan Maan’s direction seamlessly blends a propulsive pace that matches the urgency of cancer research with a contemplative one highlighting its severity. Audrey’s Children is an all-around solid watch that is more than worth your time.

YOU PEOPLE Starring: Jonah Hill, Lauren London, Eddie Murphy, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Sam Jay, Nia Long, and David Duchovny Director: Kenya Barris AMARÚ Lauren London and Jonah Hill are too cute together in You People for their story to be so underdeveloped. Instead of a full-fledged narrative, director Kenya Barris just strung together a loose collection of random rom-com scenes. Don’t get me wrong, I chuckled at Hill’s patented awkwardness and a toned-down Eddie Murphy (more at Eddie than Hill, though), but aside from an ending that’s much better realized than its lead up, this one had me reaching for something more. More cohesion. More Eddie being Eddie. More trust in London and Hill to carry a genuine story. But hey, it was cute, though. NICK The more I think about You People , the less I like it. It packages itself as a more unique story than it actually is while constantly contradicting itself. For example, Ezra (Jonah Hill) has a successful podcast about "The Culture," yet he's often portrayed as the white man who doesn't know black things. It's a joke that was already played out and is relied on far too heavily here. Still, there are some jokes that work and solid performances (Julia Louis-Dreyfus is perfectly cast), but avoiding stereotypes with Hill’s character by focusing on the dysfunction of the parents would have made for a better film. QUENTIN Although You People ends up exactly where you’d expect, it’s not without some laughs along the way. That said, mileage will vary on just how much you laugh because so many of the jokes and references require some level of insider knowledge. For example, if you don’t know much about Louis Farrakhan’s stance on Jewish people (I do), Drake’s discography (I don’t), or the name of a certain Jay-Z/Kanye collab (I do), those jokes fall completely flat. Also, director Kenya Barris’ music video-inspired, snapshots-of-LA scene transitions are overdone. Still, the performances mostly work, and the jokes that do land make for a decently entertaining watch. JOSEPH You People is the smartest, most straightforward rom-com I’ve seen in a long time. Following a Meet the Parents meets Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner premise, You People offers an earnest look at modern-day race relations. That being said, it never feels ridiculously heavy, instead using the comedy to lighten the very real issues the film brings up. The cast is phenomenal, and they had me laughing out loud multiple times, putting a smile on my face while also making me cringe. It’s smart and respectable, but most importantly, it’s entertaining. DARRYL You People survives mainly on the chemistry between Jonah Hill and Lauren London. Their scenes together, along with Hill's scenes with Sam Jay, make for the best romance and comedic elements of the film. Kenya Barris and Hill’s script is impressively balanced between great inside humor catered to the culture and clichéd and hammy dialogue. Plus, what could have made for a fresh update on 1967's Guess Who's Coming to Dinner instead opts for surface-level humor while leaning on Hill’s charm. Barris' direction is sharp and inventive, though, making for a great weeknight movie to watch with a significant other. PAIGE You People never really finds its footing with its narrative while also being staggeringly unfunny and filled with cringe-worthy dialogue to boot. It seems like Jonah Hill and director Kenya Barris, who co-wrote the film together, had good intentions with what they wanted to execute with this interracial rom-com, but it tries way too hard to be relevant. Hill’s self-deprecating charm is the only tolerable thing going for this feature, and overall, the film feels like a sloppy juggling act that ends up abandoning all of its heavy topics to just be a surface-level social satire.

AFTERSUN Starring: Paul Mescal, Frankie Corio, and Celia Rowlson-Hall Director: Charlotte Wells JACOB It’s a softer landing than one might expect from an A24 project, but Charlotte Wells nonetheless impresses with her directorial debut in Aftersun . Featuring a Paul Mescal performance that is equal parts charming and heartbreaking, as well as a stunning supporting turn from Frankie Corio, the movie’s themes of mental illness and its many claws ring quiet but crystal clear. Wells’ script is delicate, able to balance on a needle-width thread without ever needing to veer into emotional manipulation or away from realism. It's a truly moving film that only gets better the more one thinks on its many strengths. ADRIANO Let me start off by saying that this film won’t work for everyone. It is very slow and requires tons of critical thinking. Personally, though? I was engrossed by Aftersun , a film that explores the way we view our parents and addresses depression in a truly unique and accurate way. Paul Mescal is fantastic, and Frankie Corio is an absolute revelation in a film that is made with such nuance and empathy that it shattered my heart by the end. I implore everybody to give this film a chance. PAIGE A24 has flourished this year by producing some amazing gems, and I’m glad to say Aftersun is no different. A stellar directorial debut from Charlotte Wells, the film is anchored by the charming performances of Paul Mescal and its young rising star, Frankie Corio. Overall, it’s a beautifully heartfelt film about the passage of time through the lens of a father/daughter relationship, further diving into the desire to preserve shared memories. For that, this film is so precious in my mind, and it was one of my favorite films coming out of the NYFF. This film was reviewed by Adriano as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival, as well as by Jacob and Paige as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2022 New York Film Festival.

LUCA Starring: Jacob Tremblay, Jack Dylan Grazer, Maya Rudolph, Giacomo Gianniotti, Jim Gaffigan, Emma Berman, Marco Barricelli, and Saverio Raimondo Director: Enrico Casarosa JACOB It won't land amongst anyone's Top 10 Pixar movies, but the small charms of Luca are enough to keep it entertaining. The characters are fun to follow on their various adventures despite there not being much story involved and they keep things moving along. The film seems a bit averse to any actual tension though, usually taking the less dramatic approach when it's given opportunities to challenge those characters or its own narrative. Poignant themes of friendship and discovery keep it sufficiently afloat to be worthwhile, but those expecting Pixar’s usual level of animated mastery should look elsewhere. AMARÚ Initially, I was getting worried that Luca was just going to be a long-form Pixar short. Great visuals and unique characters can only take you so far if the story isn't grabbing your attention in the first act. But once Emma Berman's Giulia entered the picture and gave us a trio to root for, everything Pixar does well began to fall into place. An original concept with strong characters and meaningful conflicts, Luca ends as a heartfelt, feel-good story that's not as great as some of its predecessors but is still a sweet time for the whole family. JOSEPH Pixar has been on a slight decline lately, but Soul gave me hope that was coming to an end. Luca undid that hope. Luca works as a coming-of-age film, but it's too afraid to lean into the darker themes and allegories it hints at. Characters appear with minimal impact and no real stakes are set, while the villain is dull and irrelevant to the themes and character arcs. The three main characters are well written, but if it wasn't for the humor and charm, I feel this would be among Pixar’s worsts.

THE SUPREMES AT EARL'S ALL YOU CAN EAT Starring: Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Uzo Aduba, Sanaa Lathan, Mekhi Phifer, Kyanna Simone, Tati Gabrielle, Renee Harrison, Russell Hornsby, Ryan Paynter, Vondie Curtis-Hall and Julian McMahon Director: Tina Mabry AMARÚ More than three decades of “we shall overcome” black movies have made me numb to those stories, so I was initially hesitant to warm up to The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat ; however, the characters and relationships are too affectingly familiar to not feel at home. I know every one of these people, from the petty to the pious to the pompous, and Earl’s’ uptempo pace, along with believable performances, keep you hilariously entertained even if it storms through the numerous heavy themes. Led by fabulous turns by Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor and Kyanna Simone, Earl’s is a tale of struggle and sisterhood that warmed my soul. PAIGE At its core, The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat is a lighthearted and sentimental film about the strength of friendship. While the story only lightly touches on heavy themes of racism, gender inequality, and adultery, there are several humorous moments that allow you to connect to the tribulations and joys that these characters go through in their lives. As a viewer, you’re able to relate to each of these characters because of the strong and authentic performances from Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Uzo Aduba, and Sanaa Lathan. All in all, Earl’s is a cute gem that feels like a cozy hug.