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TRON: ARES Starring: Jared Leto, Greta Lee, Evan Peters, Jodie Turner-Smith, Hasan Minhaj, Arturo Castro, Gillian Anderson, and Jeff Bridges Director: Joachim Rønning QUENTIN In its best moments, Tron: Ares is a ground-breaking music video for Nine Inch Nails that took me back to the early 2000s. There also is a Lebowski-esque Jeff Bridges contributing a glorified cameo in one wonderfully nostalgic sequence, which…far out. Sadly, those excellent moments are wrapped in an empty movie that unsuccessfully attempts to add to the AI conversation, all while drenched in so much red that it’ll screw up your rods and cones (anyone get that reference?). With lackluster performances, one-dimensional characters, and often chaotic visuals, perhaps only Nine Inch Nails fans need apply. They likely won’t be as disappointed as this Tron fan. AMARÚ Tron: Ares is an absolute visual spectacle. Combined with Nine Inch Nails’ electric score and soundtrack, the technical aspects are hypnotizing, almost to the point of overstimulation. The breakneck speed in which you have to process information matches the film’s nonstop pace, both to its success and detriment. While the film’s foundation is plagued with the base-level, nefarious evil vs good plot points and dialogue, the second half finds a surprisingly balanced message about humanity, effectively conveyed by Jodie Turner-Smith and, yes, Jared Leto. If Tron 4 can avoid the mustache-twirling, I ultimately wouldn’t mind returning to this world. ADRIANO Disney has been a red flag for me recently, and separately, an even bigger red flag has been having Jared Leto in the cast. So I'm not shocked I didn't like Tron: Ares . What shocked me is how dull it is for a Tron movie, as nothing about the oversimplified plot, underwritten characters, and, worst of all, ugly visuals gave me anything to be entertained by outside of the kick-ass Nine Inch Nails score. I can tell you right now that I am not interested in the sequel that was hamfistedly set up at the end. ROBERT Permanence, The Grid, Master Control…these are just words Tron: Ares uses to cobble together a script and world to push forward the action of the film. However, in reality, the purpose of a Tron film, especially at this point, is to saturate an audience’s brain with retro-futuristic visuals of a 1980s video game landscape and hard-hitting music tracks. In that capacity, Ares is successful. Everything else is not memorable. That said, Jared Leto, as the AI Ares, does his most credible acting as a program learning to be human since, in real life, he too is a robot pretending to be one of us. BODE I’d be lying if I said I went into Tron: Ares with high expectations. I’m not particularly fond of Jared Leto as a movie star, and given his previous Disney sequels, I didn’t think director Joachim Rønning was ideal to keep this franchise going. That’s why I’m shocked that I found it totally fine. The plot isn’t anything to write home about, and it doesn’t meaningfully add to the AI conversation. But the techno-futuristic visuals are still pretty stunning, and the Nine Inch Nails score goes expectedly hard. It works purely as an audiovisual experience. No more, no less.

CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG Starring: Darby Camp, Jack Whitehall, Izaac Wang, John Cleese, Sienna Guillory, Tony Hale, and David Alan Grier Director: Walt Becker JACOB Were it not for the notion of entertaining small children, I cannot think of a single reason to recommend the latest iteration of Clifford the Big Red Dog . The underwritten narrative rushes around from theme to theme with no sense of direction, and the giant CGI canine makes less and less sense (looks-wise) every few frames. Its main characters are hollowed out caricatures of actual people, with its side characters just plain old hollow shells fueled by laughably bad dialogue. I will give the movie partial credit for making me laugh twice (and emotional once), but that’s about it. JOSEPH Clifford the Big Red Dog is exactly what you’d expect it to be. There are hijinks akin to animal-buddy movies from the 90s and mid-brow humor, but nothing too special. You’d think with a giant dog there’d be more unique visual gags, but nope. Still, as children’s movies go, it could be worse, and the themes on the importance of community are nice. There’s much this film could have improved upon, but for its target audience, it should be enjoyable enough. As for adults, it’s not a total waste of time, but you might be better off skipping it.

HELLRAISER Starring: Jamie Clayton, Odessa A’zion, Goran Visnjic, Brandon Flynn, Hiam Abbass, and Drew Starkey Director: David Bruckner QUENTIN As far as 80s horror remakes go, Hellraiser is actually pretty decent. My main complaint is that the story is written in such a way that it kinda assumes you know the Cenobites’ whole deal. As someone who hadn’t seen a franchise entry since 1988’s Hellbound: Hellraiser II (this is the eleventh Hellraiser movie, btw), a refresher on the lore would have been helpful. Still though, the performances range from mostly good to great, and the Cenobites’ character design is terrific. Fans of the series will certainly enjoy themselves, but the uninitiated might want to look up Cenobites on Wikipedia for some context first. JTE Horror remakes can be hit or miss. For example, Child's Play and A Nightmare on Elm Street were big misses, whereas My Bloody Valentine and Friday the 13th were hits. This version of Hellraiser lands somewhere in the middle. When you saw the original Hellraiser by Clive Barker, it felt like you were seeing something you weren't supposed to see…the gothic tones and gore crept into your bones. But this new entry from David Bruckner feels too safe and polished. It's not bad, and it has some interesting takes on the mythology, but it feels neutered when compared to the original. PAIGE As of late, Hulu has been releasing some pretty entertaining horror films, and this new installment of Hellraiser is no different. This entry finally finds the missing puzzle piece to give the franchise a fresh start while also tying in lore from the 1987 original. The script may not raise as much hell, but David Bruckner's direction solidifies it to be the best entry since Clive Barker’s horror classic. Jamie Clayton's rendition of Pinhead is terrifying, and as much as I wanted to hide when watching this, I couldn’t help but think that it’s a great addition to the Hellraiser series.

BOTTOMS Starring: Rachel Sennott, Ayo Edebiri, Havana Rose Liu, Kaia Gerber, Nicholas Galitzine, Dagmara Domińczyk, and Marshawn Lynch Director: Emma Seligman PAIGE Bottoms invents its own brand of stylish and outside-the-box comedy that manages to feel nostalgic yet fresh. It’s a unique, absurd, and elevated flick that is destined to become a high school cult classic. The hilarious script is filled with quotable dialogue, allowing Ayo Edebiri and Rachel Sennott to shine as a dynamic comedic duo. At a brisk 90 minute runtime, it’s safe to say that Bottoms is this year’s best comedy, and I truly hope director Emma Seligman and Rachel Sennott never stop working together because they have once again delivered a knockout film. CALEB Bottoms packs enough laughs to fuel a dozen sex comedies, and makes it look easy in the process. Director Emma Seligman’s latest outing fully immerses itself into the absurdity and surrealism of high school, playing out like an energetic teenage fever dream. The impeccable direction is bolstered by hilarious performances from Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebiri, whose comedic chemistry is off the charts. The climax feels slightly rushed, and certain characters could have been more developed, but these issues don’t take away much from the film. In the end, Bottoms is undeniably hilarious, and that’s all it really needed to be. AMARÚ Bottoms won’t be for everybody. It’s 90 minutes of seemingly non-stop improvisation, irreverently raunchy humor, and parody-level plot points. While Ayo Edebiri and Marshawn Lynch navigate this with sincere charm, the rest of the cast and dialogue epitomizes “let’s throw absolutely everything at the screen and see if it sticks.” Half of it does…half of it really, really doesn’t. It’s clear that Bottoms wants to, and sometimes successfully does, show that female-led comedies can be as provocative as their male counterparts, but when they spell it out with little-to-no audience interpretation, it just feels stupid. JACOB Writer/director Emma Seligman continues her establishment as a great comedic filmmaker. While not as raunchy as some of 2023’s other summer comedies, Bottoms might well be the best of them all. A Fight Club -meets-high school laughfest, the film echoes 80s genre tropes while smashing them through a modern absurdist lens, creating one of the most pure, fun moviegoing experiences of the year. Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebiri are typically excellent, but it’s the supporting actors who steal the show, including a charmingly understated Havana Rose Liu and delightfully dumb Nicholas Galitzine (even Marshawn Lynch has a few great moments). PRESTON With its constant barrage of the crudest wisecracks it can muster, Bottoms is the type of refuse that makes me fear for the state of our collective future. I realize this view may paint me as an old curmudgeon, but I likewise recognize that many will love this film. Ayo Edebiri and Rachel Sennott perform admirably despite my distaste for director Emma Seligman’s preference for outright “spray and pray” bawdiness over comedic timing. If you think you can handle a movie with a full cast of only Eastbound and Down ’s Kenny Powers (Danny McBride), you might enjoy this one. ADRIANO Bottoms is the kind of movie that I yearn for: a comedy so outrageous, silly, and hilarious that it sticks with you purely due to the entertainment value. It has a high joke-per-minute ratio, and since the jokes rarely miss, it’s never exhausting. Bottoms’ universe is very heightened, and thankfully, the amazing cast are all in on the joke, and as silly as it all is, it still has the heart a good high school comedy should have. Bottoms is a must-see for anyone hoping for a good comedy film.

PIG Starring: Nicolas Cage and Alex Wolff Director: Michael Sarnoski QUENTIN Look... I get it. When you see a mad-lib synopsis like "Nic Cage searches for his stolen truffle pig," you assume it's another bargain bin Cage movie. But let me tell you - it's unironically excellent. In what could be described as a more meditative and emotional John Wick , an uncharacteristically restrained Cage gives his best performance in years, reminding us why he has a Best Actor Oscar (twice nominated!). Meanwhile, writer-director Michael Sarnoski’s quietly beautiful direction is perfect for the themes of loss and loneliness. It is, hands down, one of the most surprising and captivating movies of the year. JACOB Less revenge thriller and more meditative rumination on passions lost and sought, Pig is an unexpectedly beautiful journey featuring an incredibly understated performance from Nicolas Cage. I'm not quite sure if the film around him has enough scope to work as well as he does, but it doesn't have to. Cage is better than he's been in decades, assisted by a script more interested in what it means to love something than what it means to lose it. It's a phenomenal debut for director Michael Sarnoski and the camerawork by Patrick Scola is one of the film's many additional highlights.

TWISTERS Starring: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, Anthony Ramos, Brandon Perea, Maura Tierney, Sasha Lane, Harry Hadden-Paton, Tunde Adebimpe, Katy O'Brian, and David Corenswet Director: Lee Isaac Chung ADRIANO In the beginning, Twisters sort of struggles. A lot of it is exposition, cheesy dialogue (granted, probably intentionally), and quite frankly, some of director Lee Isaac Chung's set pieces feel a bit off. But in the second half, the film flips a switch and becomes a fun, classic, 90s-style, summer blockbuster. The tornado sequences are pulse-pumping, Daisy Edgar-Jones is a great lead, and Glen Powell continues to show off his effortless charm. Some of the story beats are underdeveloped, but when Twisters hits, I couldn't not have a blast. NICK Let's get this out of the way... Twisters gets off to a rough start. The 90s rom-com tone and over indulgence of "music video moments" creates a cheesy atmosphere that completely dilutes the natural disaster aspect. But, then, there is a shift. A specific scene happens (taking place in an in-ground pool), and from that point on, the pace picks up and the focus is placed on the tornados. It’s a high-octane second half that greatly exceeds the first, but as exciting as it is, it could have been even more so if it didn’t take so damn long to kick into gear. AMARÚ With Twisters being director Lee Isaac Chung’s first true foray into feature-film action, I won't fully blame him for the film’s disaster elements feeling manufactured, poorly edited, and anti-climactic. What I can’t forgive is the laughably horrible script that is as subtle as an F5 tornado. Everybody not named Glen Powell gets lost in an exposition fest that lifelessly spells out every plot point, and even with his face plastered throughout the marketing, Powell isn’t in the film enough to save it. Daisy Edgar-Jones and Anthony Ramos, two oftentimes charming and bankable up-and-coming stars, could do nothing to help yet another lackluster legacy sequel. PRESTON Glen Powell…tsk, tsk. Just when you were starting to gain momentum, you go and do this. It’s not that he is bad in Twisters , but he isn’t really good either. The same can be said about the film itself, but, to be fair, much of what we get is probably the result of a poorly written script and very thin plotline. Being formulaic, uninventive, and cheesy, not to mention the mediocre visual effects, gather to create a storm that is, somehow, neither soothing nor thrilling. Perhaps leaning into the rom-com elements earlier and releasing straight to digital would have made Twisters forgivably enjoyable. PAIGE I’m so thankful that Mother Nature gave us Twisters , a good, old-fashioned, crowd-pleasing summer blockbuster. There is no disputing that the movie is mindlessly entertaining, even though the script is a tad wonky at moments, because it embodies everything we all cherished about the original. It features amazing practical and visual effects, thrilling moments, and endearing performances from Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell, as well as their supporting cast. All in all, I applaud director Lee Isaac Chung for sticking the landing and delivering a promising legacy sequel to one of my favorite 90s movies. SHADAN Twisters is not a good movie. I wasn’t expecting to be blown away, but I was hoping I’d have a bit more fun in the process. There is very little humor, courtesy of a dull script that gives way to lifeless performances from Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell, as the two are completely drained of their natural charisma. The first tornado sequence is compelling, but all subsequent set pieces fall flat because I was not invested in the characters. Let’s hope the box office success will lead to better projects for director Lee Isaac Chung and his cast because this outing is a miss. QUENTIN For better or worse, Twisters is a throwback action movie from the 90s, which means while it’s fun, it’s not without its flaws. The dialogue can be a little cheesy at times, and the “will they/won’t they” dynamic between Kate (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and Tyler (Glen Powell) plays out just like you would expect. However, when you have fairly thrilling natural disaster sequences (fire tornado!) that are grounded by showing the true human cost of tornados, not to mention Powell’s charming swagger and movie-star smile, it’s easy to overlook any perceived issues and simply enjoy one of the better legacy sequels out there. KATIE I loved the straightforward, nostalgic, and comforting appeal of Twisters. The film unashamedly indulges in exciting spectacle, cheesy rom-com fun, and channels the enduring charm of 90s event movies that are built on incredibly immersive effects, a thunderous score, and genuinely thrilling action set pieces. Glen Powell is in his element as Tyler, demonstrating classic movie star charm, but I wished the film would have allowed his relationship with Kate (Daisy Edgar-Jones) to be more romantic. Overall, Twisters is an effortlessly entertaining film that lives up to the original, while also offering an interesting perspective on the impact of tornadoes on affected communities.

TRAP Starring: Josh Hartnett, Ariel Donoghue, Saleka Night Shyamalan, Hayley Mills, and Alison Pill Director: M. Night Shyamalan ADRIANO I allowed myself to get sucked into Trap ... mostly. For the first 40 minutes, I was gripping my seat and feeling all the nerves I was witnessing on screen in this cat-and-mouse game, not to mention my favourite performance from Josh Hartnett. I was truly having such a blast that I was fine giving M. Night Shyamalan's typical shortcomings (awkward dialogue, annoying plot threads) a pass. However, as the film kept going, I was less forgiving. It's not awful, but it wears itself thin in the back half as it refuses to end, leaving me to have less fun. QUENTIN M. Night Shyamalan might be the most inconsistent writer-director in Hollywood, and while Trap isn’t as bad as some of his other offerings, it’s still very meh. Despite a premise that has extreme tension inherently baked in, the first hour is pretty lethargic. It’s a cat-and-mouse game with no real cat, meaning it never feels like Cooper (Josh Hartnett giving a not great performance) is at risk. It’s completely lacking suspense until the halfway mark, but even then, that suspense only lasts for about 30 minutes before ultimately fizzling out as the movie just keeps going with ending after ending. I really expected more from this. AMARÚ Director M. Night Shyamalan is playing in the cheesiest of sandboxes with Trap , and I ate up almost every second of it. Led by an all-knowingly chewy Josh Hartnett performance, the dramatic close-ups, melodramatic dialogue, and mysterious conveniences made for an outstanding experience if not a wholly believable completed product. My heart and mind were racing as each plausible and improbable happening unfolded, and though the ending doesn’t clear up every questionable plot point, the journey was well worth what we got. Also, gotta tip my hat for M. Night simultaneously making this a showcase for his daughter Saleka’s music career. Exquisite nepotism. PAIGE Up until its third act, Trap is an amusing and cunning game of cat-and-mouse, and while it might be the most fun I have had watching an M. Night Shyamalan film, it’s surprisingly straightforward, clearly lacking M. Night’s trademark twist. The movie has an intriguing premise, crispy soundtrack, and a great performance by Josh Hartnett as a convincing psychopath, but the storyline and dialogue were, at times, cringy and stilted. Overall, in terms of M. Night's filmography, this one is positioned in the middle of the pack. NICK Going into Trap , there were a lot of positive signs: director M. Night Shyamalan is on a good streak, Josh Hartnett is having a career resurgence, and the concept's potential was clear. Unfortunately, that concept is wasted in a poorly executed film. Tonally, this thing is a mess. It features moments of both intentional and unintentional campiness, yet only the latter provided my audience with laughter. While Hartnett is good, the dialogue he and the rest of the cast have to work with is among M. Night’s worst. I’m sad to say the streak is over because Trap is a complete misfire. SHADAN Bless Josh Hartnett, because his presence is a big reason, maybe the only reason, Trap works as well as it does. I laughed a lot. Was I supposed to? I’m not entirely sure. Despite a trailer that gives away more than I was expecting, there are a good number of surprises left in store. Yes, there are better thrillers out there — better M. Night Shyamalan offerings, even — but I can’t deny watching Hartnett balance the doting dad and maniacal killer personas proved to be a very entertaining time at the movies.

PET SEMETARY: BLOODLINES Starring: Jackson White, Forrest Goodluck, Jack Mulhern, Henry Thomas, Natalie Alyn Lind, Isabella Star LaBlanc, Samantha Mathis, Pam Grier, and David Duchovney Director: Lindsey Anderson Beer This film has been reviewed by Nick and Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of Fantastic Fest 2023. NICK If you're looking for Pet Sematary: Bloodlines to justify its existence, it doesn't. It's pretty much a rehash of the original story of Ludlow with a different coat of paint. Having said that, as a standalone horror, it's a nice introduction for a new generation to the Pet Sematary concept. Even if you aren't new to the franchise, there’s still enough thrills and chills here to provide a satisfying watch. The backstory of Jud Crandall (Jackson White) may be unnecessary, but it still makes for a more interesting story than the 2019 remake of the 1989 original. QUENTIN As a huge fan of 1989’s Pet Sematary (it remains one of the scariest movies I’ve ever seen, in fact), the idea of a prequel that explores the lore of the titular graveyard had my attention immediately. However, Bloodlines isn’t really interested in exploring that lore in any meaningful way. Director Lindsey Anderson Beer mostly just throws jump scares, blood, gore, and slight nods to the IP at the screen in hopes that it will be enough. Sadly, it is not. When you pair that with very mediocre acting, you end up with a franchise entry that embodies its most known quote: “Sometimes dead is better.” KATIE Pet Sematary: Bloodlines left me wondering, “who asked for this film?” It gave me the same bad taste that I’ve experienced with many recent horror prequels or reboots. It’s a totally lifeless, uninspired re-telling of the original story, featuring underdeveloped characters and lackluster performances (with the notable exception of Isabella Star LaBlanc). The film rests on relationships between lifelong friends, as well as fathers and sons; however, we never explore their emotional bonds, and therefore have no reason to be invested in them. This franchise did not deserve to be resurrected. CALEB Pet Sematary: Bloodlines is a lifeless prequel that loses all the terror the original film brought to the table. Pet Sematary (1989) worked so well because it was simple, with the draw of the story coming from the characters and their choices. The cemetery itself was just a plot device; we didn’t need a movie about its origin story. Bloodlines is needlessly complicated and entirely aimless, and it seems disinterested in exploring loss in any meaningful way, choosing instead to bore its audience to death with terrible characters and convoluted world-building. Just like everything else in the pet sematary, this franchise should’ve stayed dead. PHILL Pet Sematary: Bloodlines might just be a serious contender for dullest movie of the year. This uninspired horror has nothing going for it, outside of some very cheap gore effects (most of which are done off screen) and extremely predictable jump scares. To top it off, every single performance in this film is completely wooden; however, in the actor’s defence, the script is so weak that they had very little to work with, anyway. Sadly, there is not a single redeeming quality in Bloodlines that makes this film worth watching. The entire film is as generic as the title.

LONGLEGS Starring: Maika Monroe, Blair Underwood, Michelle Choi-Lee, Alicia Witt, Nicolas Cage, and Dakota Daulby Director: Osgood Perkins ADRIANO Longlegs is the kind of horror film that we don't get nowadays. Nothing about this film is cheap or intends to shock the audience just for shock value. Writer/director Osgood Perkins and star Maika Monroe come together to create an unnerving and sinister tension that’s felt from the opening scene all the way through to the moment the credits roll. From the sound work to Andrés Arochi's cinematography to Nicolas Cage's monster performance, everything converges to make this police procedural film an unforgettable descent into hell that had me shaken. NICK Longlegs is going to get a lot of attention for the performances of Nicolas Cage and the under-casted Maika Monroe, and rightfully so. It's the direction of Osgood Perkins, however, that really caught my attention. What he's crafted is a film in a similar vein to Zodiac, but with a horror tinge, and it makes for a fascinating and unsettling watch. Whether it’s the noir-crime style of the film or Perkins’ decision to use Cage sparingly (which only adds to the mystique and gravity of his character), Perkins has created something sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. QUENTIN First, let me temper expectations. Longlegs is not a traditional horror movie full of traditional horror “scares” (although, there are a couple); however, it’s one of the most unsettling and tense suspense thrillers in years. It’s like Seven , but slathered in a malevolent dread and palpable atmosphere so thick you can cut it with a knife. Yes, Maika Monroe is quietly terrific, but the star of the show, of course, is an unrecognizable Nic Cage, who creates a lasting, nightmarish, and memorable character with very limited screen time. This was one of my most anticipated for a reason (see why HERE ), and, hot damn, did it deliver. AMARÚ My distaste for horror is due to the genre’s eerie tendencies usually having idiotic payoffs, and Longlegs’ first scene initially had me saying, “here we go again,” but writer/director Oz Perkins quickly changed my mind. He created a deeply intense mystery-thriller, utilizing camera work that’s simultaneously intimate and disconnected, enhanced by the excellent acting pairing of Blair Underwood’s practical approach with the fabulous Maika Monroe’s detached affect. Add in Nic Cage’s entertaining brand of crazy, and Perkins delivers a compelling, dread-fueled detective story that intelligently utilizes all the weird shit horror fans love. PAIGE Longlegs ' amazing marketing campaign did not disappoint because you can almost feel the satanic spirit of this movie invading your personal space. It perfectly conveys the diabolical nature of its themes and characters. Writer-director Oz Perkins does a fantastic job of building tension and an eerie atmosphere through the use of great sound design and camera work. Maika Monroe gives an incredibly distraught performance, and Nicolas Cage's unsettling presence is palpable throughout. All things considered, Longlegs is a painstakingly made and disturbing journey into hell that will stick with you long after you've seen it. KATIE Longlegs is not the terrifying horror film that the marketing suggested, but more a chilling criminal procedural thriller that I enjoyed, nonetheless. From the incredible opening scene, the film establishes an atmosphere of increasing dread and continually hints at the malevolent forces driving the evil acts, emphasised by nightmarish sound design and restrained camerawork that doesn’t rely on jump-scares to unsettle the audience. Some aspects of the film didn't quite come together for me, with the supernatural elements distracting from rather than emphasising the detective drama, but the craftsmanship is so evident that I was still immersed in the story. PRESTON Longlegs suffers from a hype train that overpromises and underdelivers. Its stylistic composition is a successful mix of things like The Silence of the Lambs , The Shining , and In a Violent Nature , and Maika Monroe (Agent Lee Harker) helps along the uneasiness that can be viscerally felt throughout the first half of the film. Eventually though, the long, slow buildup allows all adrenaline to peter out. Nicolas Cage (Longlegs) looks like he is having fun while continuing to show off his versatility, but the ultimate conclusion is a let down compared to the buildup, both prior to watching and during it. SHADAN I’m so happy I forced myself to overcome my horror genre bias and give Longlegs a chance. This crime thriller is horrifying, but in subversive and surprising ways. Oz Perkins’ script and confident direction brilliantly set the tension, which radiates from the screen for an uncomfortable, can’t-look-away viewing experience. Nicolas Cage is reliably unsettling, and star Maika Monroe turns in a bold and commanding performance. From top to bottom, Longlegs is an exceedingly well-crafted film.

THE SURRENDER Starring: Colby Minifie, Kate Burton, Vaughn Armstrong, Riley Rose Critchlow, Mia Ellis, Chelsea Alden, Pete Ploszek, Alaina Pollack, and Neil Sandilands Director: Julia Max KATIE Julia Max’s debut feature is a terrifying and heartbreaking story about the inevitability of confronting grief. Max employs deeply unsettling visuals, gory practical effects, and simple yet effective scares to explore the horrors of losing those closest to you, driven by Colby Minifie and Kate Burton’s incredible performances. They manage to portray the complexities and frustrations that are unique to mother-daughter relationships, and their authentic performances make the morbid banalities of providing care and grieving relatable and moving. Max refuses to assign blame or explain the ambiguous final act, but this speaks to the film’s nuanced exploration of its themes. ROBERT The best movies are those that can shrink down universal themes to relate to anyone on a meaningful, microscopic level, and The Surrender manages that beautifully. Caring for a sick family member can be as daunting and harrowing as anything, but to string that out beyond death to discuss family dynamics and strained relationships in the context of a genre film is impressive. You find yourself questioning if your perceptions of your parents or kids are real or carefully curated, that situations derived from memory might play out strongly in your mind but might’ve looked completely different from another perspective. The Surrender is thought-provoking, gut-wrenching, and terrifying.

STARVE ACRE Starring: Matt Smith, Morfydd Clark, Erin Richards, Sean Gilder, Arthur Shaw, Robert Emms, Melanie Kilburn, Robert Goodale, and Roger Barclay Director: Daniel Kokotajlo PRESTON Starve Acre ’s folksy eeriness is advanced through a slow-burning subtlety that is reminiscent of other 1970s horror films while being a kind of twisted, stylistic mix of The Wicker Man , Saltburn , and Pet Sematary . The cinematography and sound design are absolutely stunning, and Matt Smith and Morfydd Clark perform adeptly, even with a relatively sparse script. Some of its weirdness kind of lost me in the end, but I was mostly captivated throughout. If you watch the trailer, you should be able to ascertain whether you will love it or hate it - trust your gut. QUENTIN Like The Witch , Starve Acre is sluggish folk-horror that relies solely on eerie atmosphere, a mysterious animal, and a quiet farmhouse setting. It’s also a movie that movie nerds might tell you is amazing despite middling audience scores saying otherwise (The Witch won a slew of awards but has a mediocre audience score on Rotten Tomatoes — I even called it the worst movie of 2015). Movies like this are billed as great horror, yet have no suspense, even fewer scares, and almost zero narrative, all of which end up disappointing. So, use The Witch as your litmus test when deciding if this is worth your time. PAIGE Like other folk-horror films, Starve Acre moves slowly, but also has the moody atmosphere, eerie score, and strikingly desolate scenery that personifies the genre. While the film is primarily an exploration of grief and trauma, it is too tame and meandering, as it takes its time to get to where it wants to go. This mediocre horror film is more unsettling and weird than horrifying despite the hauntingly good performances from Matt Smith and Morfydd Clark. Ultimately, in the end, the film left me starving for more depth.

DEVOTION Starring: Jonathan Majors, Glen Powell, Thomas Sadoski, Christina Jackson, and Joe Jonas Director: J.D. Dillard QUENTIN Other than being bland and formulaic, not to mention that Maverick definitely stole some of its thunder (Glen Powell being in both doesn’t help), there isn’t anything inherently wrong with Devotion , but there isn’t anything particularly remarkable about it either. The emotional beats elicit little feeling in the viewer, while the dogfight scenes don’t generate many thrills. The acting is fine, even if the characters are fairly standard archetypes, but the film lacks the gravitas that this true story deserves. And I get the story is what it is, but the ending just doesn’t hit all that hard. It’s only slightly better than Flyboys . NICK One has to think Devotion would have been far better received had it come out in 2021. As it stands, it’s a film that pales in comparison to Maverick in virtually every way. That doesn’t make it a bad film, though. Devotion takes some time to find its footing, but once it does, it settles into a nice story of friendship. Jonathan Majors and Glen Powell (who is much more subdued than in Maverick ) carry the weight of the story admirably, while the visuals are still nothing to scoff at. So, sure, Devotion can’t match up to Maverick , but that’s not really its fault. ADRIANO Devotion , or as I like to call it, Mid Gun , is extremely average. Glen Powell and Jonathan Majors both make for great leads, and it’s well shot, especially the aerial sequences; however, from a story standpoint, it’s nothing groundbreaking and it’s not very engaging. It’s a great true story that truly deserves to be told, but it feels like it’s missing a backbone. And I must address the elephant in the room, but coming out months after Maverick does it no favours whatsoever. It makes the movie’s spinelessness even more apparent. JACOB As war films go, Devotion rides the line about as close to center as one can get while still having a little something more to offer. Even with some awkward pacing and a borderline average sense of stakes, the film still boasts terrific performances from Glen Powell and Jonathan Majors, whose on-screen chemistry is what gives the movie its much-needed verve when it slows down. Not everything works to that level, though, and as good as the action sequences often are, they’re too short to make much of an impact. That said, this one is worth a watch. This film was reviewed by Nick, Adriano, and Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival.