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BACK TO BLACK Starring: Marisa Abela, Jack O’Connell, Eddie Marsan, and Lesley Manville Director: Sam Taylor-Johnson ADRIANO I could complain about another musical biopic following the tropes of the genre, but Back to Black sticks out amongst the crowd because it’s so appallingly disrespectful while also being formulaic. The movie just puppeteers Amy Winehouse's (Marisa Abela) story as a means of judgment while zooming through her musical and personal accomplishments at lightning speed. I'm aware of Winehouse's personal struggles, but for a film that claims it’s about Winehouse's music, it's very uninterested in that. Just two hours of addiction porn with no respect for the subject. Watch the documentary Amy instead. CALEB It’s ridiculous that Back to Black has the gall to criticize the paparazzi, considering it spends the majority of its runtime hypocritically obsessing over Amy Winehouse’s (Marisa Abela) love life and addiction problems. The film is essentially a multi-million-dollar adaptation of a tabloid you'd find at Walmart. Director Sam Taylor-Johnson seemingly has no interest in Winehouse’s creative process, as the film sprints through the creation of her albums to focus on her trauma. Amy Winehouse deserves to be remembered for her success, yet Back to Black decides to highlight her failures. It’s a tasteless, formulaic, exploitative film that disrespects an amazing artist. PRESTON Back to Black’s director Sam Taylor-Johnson is able to successfully capture Amy Winehouse’s tragic story while showing restraint by not over-sensationalizing, which brings realism to this musical biopic. Unfortunately, countering complete lack of restraint with intermittent full-length song interruptions make for a plotline that is disjointed at best, and makes the film more of a slog than it should be. Marisa Abela (Amy Winehouse) mimics Winehouse’s voice almost perfectly, but its constant highlighting takes us out of the story we've come to hear. Decent movie, but will I watch it again? I say, “No, no, no!”

THE RULE OF JENNY PEN Starring: John Lithgow, Geoffrey Rush, Nathaniel Lees, and George Henare Director: James Ashcroft NICK During festival season last year, I'd heard really positive things about The Rule of Jenny Pen , especially regarding the performances of Geoffrey Rush and John Lithgow, so I was eager to check it out. The word on the performances was justified as Lithgow, in particular, gives an unhinged and menacing performance. The rest of the film, however, is rather messy. While the performances caught me at first, it soon became glaring how hollow the story they're in is, which made the runtime feel far longer than it actually is. There’s certainly moments that stick out, but not the film as a whole. PAIGE While it's easy to obsess over John Lithgow's masterfully sinister character that terrorizes his fellow residents, director James Ashcroft offers a societal critique on nursing homes that is unexpectedly nuanced and impactful. Not only does Lithgow’s character in The Rule of Jenny Pen evoke a great deal of fear and anxiety, but so does the ease with which the care staff overlook the issues going on throughout the film. There may be a lot of unanswered questions and some pacing issues towards the end, but one thing is for sure: this movie will have you terrified of ever getting admitted into a nursing home. QUENTIN Despite terrific performances from screen legends Geoffrey Rush and John Lithgow, The Rule of Jenny Pen isn't a movie worth going out of your way to find. Themes of elder abuse and the inevitability of getting old are notionally explored, but not with enough weight to make them meaningful. On top of that, the pacing is extremely repetitive and sluggish, resulting in a movie that feels much longer than it actually is, which is especially exacerbated by the thin and messy story. Still, Lithgow clearly relished the opportunity to act completely deranged because he goes for broke, so it’s not a total loss.

ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT Starring: Daniel Brühl, Felix Kammerer, Sebastian Hülk, Albrecht Schuch, Edin Hasanovic, Anton von Lucke, Devid Striesow, Joe Weintraub, Luc Feit, and Michael Wittenborn Director: Edward Berger ADRIANO All Quiet on the Western Front is a magnificent sight to behold. While its story isn’t anything groundbreaking (but certainly not bad), the film’s technical feats are truly astounding. Thanks to the marvelous direction of Edward Berger, combat has rarely felt this brutal and horrifying on the big screen. The exquisite sound work is much more unique than just gunfire, the score is absolutely wicked, and the cinematography is beyond impressive in the way he shoots both the war scenes and casual banter in the trenches. I genuinely have no notes. JACOB There are no victories, no conquests, and no glory to be found in All Quiet on the Western Front , only the terror and horrifying violence of WWI as seen through the eyes of shaken boys who are not yet adults. Director Edward Berger helms each moment of the Netflix remake with the same polish and engagement possessed by 1917 , the film’s most obvious comparative peer, but in his craft lies a much starker reality. While the battle sequences are brilliantly executed…and there are some genuinely impressive one-shots…it’s the film’s somber tone that truly gives it an edge. QUENTIN All Quiet on the Western Front is among the most visceral, immersive, and beautifully shot war films I’ve ever seen. It is unrelenting and a must-watch for all fans of the genre. However, I said similar things about 1917 in 2019 and Dunkirk in 2017. So, while I stand by those statements for each movie in a vacuum, given the back-to-back-to-back nature of their releases, they all run together in a numbing cacophony that gruffly growls “war is hell.” While I’m not denying that to be true, the message is getting diminishing returns, which, perhaps unfairly, takes All Quiet down a notch. I’ve just had enough. This film was reviewed by Adriano as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival.

THE ZONE OF INTEREST Starring: Sandra Hüller, Christian Friedel, Medusa Knopf, Daniel Holzberg, Sascha Maaz, Max Beck, Wolfgang Lampl, Johann Karthaus, and Ralph Herforth Director: Jonathan Glazer ADRIANO The Zone of Interest is a haunting portrait of the Holocaust that will stay with any audience member willing to take the journey. Writer/director Jonathan Glazer presents an analysis of evil, and how some of the most atrocious human beings can look so normal. While the film revels in the mundane to an uncomfortable degree, Glazer is not afraid to get experimental on us, presenting the audience a challenging way to view humanity in all its ugliness. I left this movie feeling disturbed and angry, yet awestruck at the brave approach to this subject matter. PAIGE While The Zone of Interest is well-crafted, I can’t help but feel cold and disengaged from it. Mica Levi’s haunting and chilling score does create a unique atmosphere, but it’s writer/director Jonathan Glazer’s direction that didn’t have me emotionally invested in whatever story this film is trying to tell. The movie lacks narrative momentum because it feels like two films are happening at once: one you see and one you hear. If those two stories were combined together more gracefully, this slow burn Nazi drama could’ve had more weight to it. This film was reviewed by Adriano and Paige as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival and the 2023 New York Film Festival, respectively.

RIDDLE OF FIRE Starring: Charlie Stover, Phoebe Ferro, Skyler Peters, Lorelei Mote, Lio Tipton, Charles Halford, Danielle Hoetmer, and Weston Razooli Director: Weston Razooli NICK Shot on gorgeous 16mm film, Riddle of Fire has a vintage look to it that really enhances the picture. A modern day fairy-tale, this is an exploration of a child’s imagination and that time in our lives where anything could become an adventure. The humour is on point – Skyler Peters (Jodie), in particular, embraces his Kids Say the Darndest Things vibe – and it’s easy to get swept into the children’s mischievous ways. Riddle of Fire is bound to fly under the radar, but it makes for a fun watch and harkens back to 80s films like The NeverEnding Story . It’s just a good time. KATIE I really enjoyed Riddle of Fire , a dreamy, modern fairytale story that feels like a hazy summer day with enough whimsy and charming performances from the young cast to make up for its overlong runtime. The nostalgia-driven aesthetic and naturalistic performances feel like authentic portrays of how children actually talk to each other, capturing the youthful innocence and uninhibited imagination of early childhood. Just watching the children interact is heartening, and it reminded me of the conscious amateurism of children in Wes Anderson’s films. Although it could benefit from some tighter editing, Riddle of Fire is an undeniably endearing film. AMARÚ One thing I can say about Riddle of Fire is that at least everyone is engaged. The four young leads (Phoebe Ferro, Charlie Stover, Lorelei Mote, and especially Skyler Peters) are a mischievous, yet charming ragtag gang that keeps you invested in the fairy tale. And that investment is truly needed to get past the random dialogue, amateur storytelling, and community theater acting. It’s tonally reminiscent of late 80s children’s adventure fantasies, made with the same whimsy, but nowhere near the professional production. There’s just enough of the former to get through it… if you have the patience for its low-budget quality. PAIGE In spite of its shortcomings, Riddle of Fire remains entertaining to watch, paying homage to throwback children’s adventure films while still creating a mood all its own. This movie does a great job of capturing the freedom and innocence of youth, not to mention the fact that director Weston Razooli shot this on 16mm, giving the movie a timeless feel and demonstrating his ambition and inventiveness alongside the likes of Wes Anderson. Granted, the pacing of this charming odyssey is a wee bit off, it’s still worth watching. This film was reviewed by Nick as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.

SELF DRIVER Starring: Nathanael Chadwick, Catt Filippov, Reece Presley and Lauren Welchner Director: Michael Pierro This film has been reviewed by Nick and Paige as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2024 Fantasia International Film Festival. PAIGE Despite its low budget, Self Driver stands out somewhat because most of the film is primarily shot in the interior of a car, making it an unexpectedly tense film that is reminiscent of Collateral ’s style and tone. The saying "desperate times call for desperate measures” fits rather well here as insanity breaks loose, leaving the film to paint a bare picture of being a modern-day taxi driver and all the dehumanizing that can come with that. Ultimately, I'm interested to see what writer/director Michael Pierro does next because Self Driver is a promising beginning. NICK The award for best film shot entirely in a car still goes to 2013's Locke , but director Michael Pierro should be proud of what he was able to do on a miniscule budget. This examination of what we’re willing to do at the end of our rope will hit close to home for anyone who has ever wondered how far they'd go to get out of their despair. Thematically, it works quite well. Beyond that, the film failed to grip me. I struggled to connect with the story (and I'm not far removed from the aforementioned hard times), but I hope others feel different.

HERE Starring: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Paul Bettany, and Kelly Reilly Director: Robert Zemeckis NICK To call Robert Zemeckis' latest "ambitious" would be an understatement. Spanning centuries, Here is a unique stage play that could never be made on stage due to its effects and necessary budget. Unfortunately, maybe it shouldn't have been made for the screen either, as the technology required to pull this off just doesn't exist yet — something the finished product magnifies. Uneven visual effects aside, the story is inoffensive yet emotionally cold. This should have pulled at my heartstrings, but a mix of lackluster performances and distorted visuals create a disconnect that may actually be the greatest flaw of this notably flawed feature. ADRIANO Director Robert Zemeckis seems to be continuing his downward spiral with Here . As an experiment where he tells a story through time with a static camera angle, it is a failure. The technology just isn't there, from the wonky de-aging to the baffling transition choices, to the fact that the movie just looks so visually off-putting the whole time. On top of that, the story also is a big miss. While mostly inoffensive, the movie constantly shifts through non-linear moments that feel like non-sequiturs that remove any emotional impact from the main storyline. All in all, Here didn't anger me, but it's a huge misfire.

SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE Starring: Cillian Murphy, Eileen Walsh, Michelle Fairley, Clare Dunne, Helen Behan, and Emily Watson Director: Tim Mielants ADRIANO Have you ever watched a movie that you've mentally checked out on, but around the 40-minute mark (for a 90-minute movie), it finally starts to pique your interest? Well, that's Small Things Like These , an unfocused, poorly paced film that, while it does sport excellent performances from the entire ensemble, just kinda slags for the most part. I felt very little for anybody in this movie, partly because of how it decided to focus on the protagonist. When it did finally begin to get interesting, it was just too late. It's certainly not an awful movie, but I'll never see it again. KATIE Small Things Like These is a reverent, gracefully melancholic film that is deeply effective in exploring the shocking history of The Magdalene Laundries in Ireland, exposing the quiet complicity that perpetuated the Church’s abuse. Cillian Murphy’s performance as Bill is sombre and quietly gripping, and his character seems to physically buckle under the weight of the silent burden that he and countless other people in the community carry out of fear and shame. His expression and tormented eyes convey an immense sense of guilt and trauma, and I was completely swept up by the emotional intensity and tragic drama.

THE BOOK OF CLARENCE Starring: LaKeith Stanfield, Omar Sy, RJ Cyler, Anna Diop, Nicholas Pinnock, Teyana Taylor, Caleb McLaughlin, Eric Kofi-Abrefa, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Alfre Woodard, Michael Ward, David Oyelowo, James McAvoy, and Benedict Cumberbatch Director: Jeymes Samuel AMARÚ With his second feature-length film, The Book of Clarence , writer-director Jeymes Samuel continues to be the star of his own movie. His direction is one-of-one, and the ability to pair the score perfectly with each scene (he’s also the composer) is absolutely dynamic. While the film is entertainingly crafted, it does take some time for the story to fluidly establish the star-studded ensemble’s characters. The first act plays like a disjointed television series stumbling to find its footing. But when it finally comes together, Clarence ’s magnetic style, talented cast, and thought-provoking take on religion brings Samuel one step closer to my “event director” shortlist. NICK With The Book of Clarence , director Jeymes Samuel shows much of the promise he displayed with 2021's The Harder They Fall , but unlike that film, this is a much more disjointed effort. Although the film maintained my attention throughout, I was never "IN" it, largely due to tonal inconsistencies. There are a range of genres (comedy, action, romance, drama), but they often don't mesh, and they certainly make the first "Book" drag more than others. That said, the film improves as it goes, and Samuel shows an undeniable ability behind the lens. It’s not bad, but it’s time to close this book and start another. ADRIANO I am genuinely heartbroken by The Book of Clarence . Writer-director Jeymes Samuel showed boatloads of promise with his debut The Harder They Fall , and the concept of Clarence is so original and interesting. Even when watching it, I can see the film's potential shine through its genuinely great production values and terrific ensemble, led by a never failing LaKeith Stanfield. However, the writing is so muddled and all over the place that it fails to convey anything of note for anyone to take its great ideas seriously. There's excellence here, it's just not in the final product.

THE CREATOR Starring: John David Washington, Gemma Chan, Ken Watanabe, Madeleine Yuna Voyles, Allison Janney, and Sturgill Simpson Director: Gareth Edwards NICK Visually, The Creator is a treat. Director Gareth Edwards has crafted a world with a vast scope that is instantly engaging. Story-wise, it may not be revolutionary, but its commentary on fear of the unknown and coming to conclusions based on being blinded by arrogance is apt. I just wish his lead was able to carry the story. Though John David Washington has had his moments, this film highlights his limitations as an actor, including a struggle to connect emotionally, which is vital to this story. Edwards’ passion for this project is clear, but a more ranged cast could’ve better brought it to screen. AMARÚ There’s a ton of greatness within The Creator that somehow is never fulfilled. Dynamic action sequences reach the heights of its grand concepts and beautiful world, but when that world is filled with a hollow script, standard dialogue, and stunted scenes, nothing the characters do creates an earned emotional payoff. It’s utterly confusing how director Gareth Edwards has proven himself a capably thought-provoking director within the Sci-Fi realm, yet produced such a confoundingly frustrating original project. I wanted so badly to connect to these characters, but unfortunately, all I ended up with is my most disappointing film of the year. ADRIANO The Creator is a hard movie for me to criticize because it's clear to me that director/co-writer Gareth Edwards put his heart into this as opposed to other factory-made sci-fi flicks (I'm looking at you, Quantumania ). The visuals are breathtaking at times, from the visual effects to Greig Fraser's cinematography, but sadly, the writing falls flat. The world-building could've used more work, as well as the character writing, the lack of which made the film feel like a bit of an emotional void. There's an excellent movie in here somewhere, but in the end, Edwards' good intentions don't succeed. CALEB In the age of reboots and sequels, The Creator tells an original, ambitious story. It’s a welcome breath of fresh air, but it’s not perfect. The art direction and cinematography are executed flawlessly, but I can’t say the same about the script. I can forgive some messy world-building and the occasional plot hole, but the blatant exposition dumps really became grating after a while. I also found that I couldn’t connect with the main character, and that some emotional beats felt unearned. It has issues, but The Creator still offers a gorgeously realized sci-fi world with enough spectacle to compensate for its uneven script. PAIGE Studios need to take note of how visually astonishing The Creator looks with just a budget of around $80mil because Gareth Edwards' futuristic vision for this original sci-fi action movie is top tier. With that said, while the movie looks amazing, it’s an empty spectacle. The emotional beats don’t dig deep, and the script is filled with several plot holes that will leave you with more questions than answers. The film will admittedly blow you away with its sheer scale, but don’t hold your breath for a layered story. PRESTON Watching The Creator feels as if you’ve been invited to a stranger’s house for a BBQ where only inside jokes are told and there is no friendly arm-around-the-shoulders to bring you in on what’s so damn funny. The plotline is littered with gaping holes, and the dialogue’s timing borders on comical. I spent much of the film in a sort of interrogative fog…Why?!...What?! That’s not to say Gareth Edwards’ film is without merit, though, as the visuals are stunning, the score is fantastic, and Madeleine Yuna Voyles’ performance manages to drum up some emotion in spite of the numerous shortcomings. QUENTIN While The Creator may be “original sci-fi” in terms of not being about a known IP, the story itself is anything but. One can easily pick out derivative beats from the likes of Dances with Wolves , Independence Day , Elysium , and pretty much any movie about a dude who finds redemption through a child. Plus, if I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times: John David Washington has zero range and cannot emote for shit. Still, all that said…and despite the plot holes and abundance of exposition…this visually stunning space actioner is better than any Avatar and most recent Star Wars offerings not named Andor . KATIE While The Creator is visually impressive and full of epic action sequences, I appreciated its creative intentions more than the actual film. I wanted to love a somewhat original sci-fi film unrelated to superheroes or franchises, but director Gareth Edwards’ distinctive vision is let down by a script that’s riddled with plot holes and lacking in exploration of the characters beyond their utility in the war. It could have been pulled off by a stronger actor, but John David Washington just lacks the emotional range to convince me. Overall, the film is rich in visual depth, but lacks it in the emotional department.

IRISH WISH Starring: Ed Speleers, Lindsay Lohan, Alexander Vlahos, Ayesha Curry, Jane Seymour, Elizabeth Tan, and Matty McCabe Director: Janeen Damian KATIE Irish Wish is the latest addition to a specific subgenre of romantic comedies that involve American women heading to Ireland to find love and experience a number of Irish stereotypes. That is not to say I didn’t enjoy Irish Wish to an extent, in a “so-bad-it's-good” kind of way, but it is not a particularly worthy film. Between the terrible script that is full of clichés, stiff acting, and lack of chemistry between the romantic leads, there are not many redeemable features. That said, Lindsay Lohan is quite charming, and I did enjoy seeing her back on the screen. CALEB Irish Wish is a generic, clichéd romantic comedy… but at least it knows it. The leading lady (Lindsay Lohan) is an underappreciated writer, and the story features a steamy love triangle, quirky misunderstandings, and a big dramatic wedding. It’s a by-the-books rom-com. If that’s your thing, then you might enjoy it; however, I was personally hoping for something a little less Hallmark-y. The writing is bad, the acting is mediocre, and despite being filmed in the gorgeous Irish countryside, the visuals are strikingly bland. Irish Wish is rather unimpressive, but if you’re in the mood for cheesy romance, then it could make for decent comfort food.

JUNG_E Starring: Kang Soo-youn, Kim Hyun-joo, and Ryu Kyung-Soo. Director: Sang-ho Yeon QUENTIN Netflix’s latest Korean import, Jung_E , is nothing groundbreaking, but if you’re looking for a quick (90ish minutes), sci-fi actioner, it’ll give you a good enough fix to last until summer blockbuster season. It has all the tropes you’d expect from a movie about clones and A.I., feeling reminiscent of everything from I, Robot to Edge of Tomorrow , and the special effects have a video game quality that somehow works. The English dubbing is among one of Netflix’s better attempts too. All in all, it’s not the best thing ever, but it’s better than watching some random old movie on TBS for the umpteenth time. JOSEPH Aspects of Jung_E may feel familiar, and for good reason, since it isn’t exactly presenting new ideas. Still, it’s a solid watch. It tries to address similar concerns about artificial intelligence as previous films, but it does illustrate those concerns a bit differently. Along with that, Jung_E also boasts some fun visuals and fantastic fight choreography, but more importantly, it tells a compelling story in a fleshed-out world. Very little in this film is likely to astound you, but it will leave you entertained and maybe even reflective on the moral issues regarding A.I.