LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT Starring: Haley Lu Richardson, Ben Hardy, Jameela Jamil, Rob Delaney, Tom Taylor, Dexter Fletcher, and Sally Phillips Director: Vanessa Caswill KATIE I struggled to find many redeeming qualities about this film. The script spends no time showing us why the fated lovers, Hadley (Haley Lu Richardson) and Oliver (Ben Hardy), are meant to be together since they lack chemistry and don’t seem well-matched. It also makes no sense. Why does a statistics-obsessed mathematics student make so many obvious mistakes?! And most notably, while Richardson's performance is charismatic and sweet, I found Hardy downright sinister. If you got rid of the soft pink lighting and tweaked the score, this would have been a better horror film than it is a rom-com. PHILL Love at First Sight is a bizarre romance film. It’s by no means bad, but it’s very by the numbers – literally. It insists on spouting 5-6 different statistics at you in every other scene, which starts off as a cute and fun gimmick, but becomes more irritating as the film goes on. All of the actors are charismatic enough to carry the film, though, and since they are backed with a decent soundtrack, they hit the emotional beats pretty well. Despite seeing every single story beat coming from a mile away, Netflix has certainly produced worse rom-coms. PAIGE Netflix delivers a surprisingly heartwarming rom-com with its latest drop, Love at First Sight . This movie is such an adorable and sincere flick that it is worth checking out, especially if you just have some time to kill. The script is a wee bit corny, but that doesn’t take away from the charming and authentic performances from Haley Lu Richardson (Hadley) and Ben Hardy (Oliver). It’s about fate and chances, and if you're looking for a light and gentle watch that will have you swooning, I recommend this movie.

JAY KELLY Starring: George Clooney, Adam Sandler, Laura Dern, Billy Crudup, Riley Keough, Grace Edwards, and Stacy Keach Director: Noah Baumbach QUENTIN As a person who loves movies about movies (and, by proxy, movie stars), Jay Kelly was right up my alley. George Clooney is perfectly cast, essentially playing himself (a running joke in the movie), as a superstar actor grappling with the shallow relationships and disheartening loneliness of mega fame. It deftly walks a tight rope between self-indulgent navel-gazing and brilliant meta subtext. And as good as Clooney is, it’s Adam Sandler who steals the movie as he once again proves that he is a legitimate actor. If this were to be Clooney’s final movie (it won’t be), it’d be something pored over for years to come. AMARÚ There has yet to be a Noah Baumbach-directed film I’ve enjoyed. I often find that his characters have empty, first-world problems, or in the words of those in my inner circles, white people shit. But Jay Kelly ’s introspective look into the psyche of good people who make bad decisions makes this story a little more relatable. The titular character (George Clooney) and his manager, Ron (Adam Sandler), still make choices that seem counter to their narrative momentum; however, placing their seemingly superfluous conflicts in the chaotic day-to-day of movie stars allows for much more emotional resonance surrounding their work-life balance issues. ADRIANO I was on and off Jay Kelly' s wavelength consistently. I loved Noah Baumbach's Fellini-esque direction and the ambitious approach to the titular character's (George Clooney) reflection, but while Clooney and Adam Sandler are excellent at the centre, Billy Crudup stole the movie. With that said, the attempt to erode the barrier between an out-of-touch actor and the audience didn't always land. The journey was lacking in emotional familiarity and was mostly just sad. The ending, however, sticks the landing and made me wish the rest of the meandering movie matched what the finale delivered. BODE Some have critiqued Noah Baumbach’s latest picture, Jay Kelly , for its sentimentality. To that, I would say: don’t be so easily fooled. It’s there, yes, but it’s constantly balanced out with the sourness that Baumbach initially made his name on. It causes some tonal whiplash, but in a way, that just makes this bittersweet character study more compelling - especially as George Clooney does some of his best work in years exploring the contradictions of this pathetically successful Hollywood figure. Adam Sandler, Riley Keough and (especially) Billy Crudup also shine amidst a star-studded ensemble. Solid - if not spectacular - stuff. NICK I know “aura” is a big buzz word these days, but that is the best way to describe what George Clooney has. Be it his charm, screen presence, or overall likeability, Clooney is the quintessential movie star, which makes him perfect for this character. He's wonderful in a role that looks at the cost and ramifications of fame. Kelly is a flawed character, but Clooney ensures we never turn on him; a great supporting turn from Adam Sandler helps, as well. I don’t think Jay Kelly is going to bring Clooney another Oscar, but it shows those aspirations are far from over. KATIE Jay Kelly is undoubtedly self-indulgent and sentimental, but sincere and with enough humour that I didn’t really mind. The dialogue doesn’t always work, and some characters are too underdeveloped for me to care about them, but it's driven by great performances. George Clooney, playing the titular Jay Kelly, is, as always, a perfect movie star: compelling and charming, with an endlessly watchable screen presence. Adam Sandler is also fantastic, again proving his dramatic talent. The score is lovely, and the cinematography is gorgeous. For all its sentimentality, I enjoyed the A-list performances and nostalgic appeal. ROBERT Ambiguity can be either the life raft that lifts a film and its message or the anchor that sinks it completely. The life of Jay Kelly, as portrayed by George Clooney, is designed to make the audience question reliability in the narrator’s account of the past, forcing them to consider whether they should root for him, right until the end. For me, Jay Kelly is wildly successful in its journey of retrospection, sold beautifully by Clooney, Adam Sandler’s beaten-down charm, and whirlwind stints by Billy Crudup and Riley Keough. Some might find it saccharine, but as a father, it leaves me contemplative and emotional. PAIGE Noah Baumbach’s Jay Kelly is an intriguing meta yet sentimental piece that explores themes of regret and the cost of choosing fame over authenticity. While I found the first half of the film a bit difficult to connect with, mainly due to clunky dialogue and a lead character who initially feels unrelatable, George Clooney’s performance slowly drew me into the narrative. As the story unfolds, you begin to put yourself in Jay’s shoes and reflect on the memories we wish we could have had with the people we love, and that, right there, is the power of cinema. Not to mention Nicholas Britell's beautiful score, which truly enhances the emotions you feel by the end of the film. This film was reviewed by Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2025 Zurich Film Festival.

STRAYS Starring: Will Ferrell, Jamie Foxx, Will Forte, Isla Fisher, Randall Park, Josh Gad, and Rob Riggle Director: Josh Greenbaum NICK Growing up, talking animal films (mainly for kids) were a dime a dozen. Although they're less common now, they still feel overdone. Strays tries to combat this by going the adult route – think what Sausage Party did for animated films - and it does its job in providing the laughs. However, like many comedy films, the trailers really do the movie a disservice by undermining many of the jokes. The voice performances are good, and the speaking visuals aren't off-putting, yet there’s just a familiarity with the content that made Strays feel like I’d seen it before. Something is missing here, I just can’t pinpoint what. ADRIANO Strays does nothing to reinvent the comedy genre. In fact, Strays is pretty stale in terms of story and writing. But I get the sense the goal was “let’s make a funny, R-rated comedy about dogs,” and you know what? They succeeded. This film may not be for the squeamish, but it made me laugh a lot, thanks in part to some great voice work from the cast. To top it all off, it’s got a decent amount of heart as well. So, while it’s nothing to write home about, it’s dependable if you want a good laugh. QUENTIN I imagine that Strays , which is known by the much better name Doggy Style in Germany, is probably pretty hilarious to someone who hasn’t seen many comedies, be it because they were sheltered or they are just young. I admit there was a time when I would have found it laugh-out-loud funny. But now? It’s merely breathe-a-bit-harder-through-your-nose amusing. This is mostly because the jokes are obvious (did you know dogs don’t like mailmen?), or worse, they are ripped directly from Family Guy . As if it pooped on the rug, this Homeward Bound with Sausage Party sensibilities should have its nose rubbed in it. JACOB Strays is hardly the disaster Letterboxd would have you believe, but the juvenility of its overly repetitive humor is what keeps it from being anything more than surface-level. The voice cast doesn’t exactly stand out, but the script also doesn’t offer them any opportunities to really shine. The characters are one-note at best, only one or two jokes made me chuckle, and it all plays out exactly as one thinks it will. That said, if you enjoyed Good Boys on any level, this is more or less the same thing, just with dogs. Truthfully, I didn’t hate it. AMARÚ Dogs are the cutest and bestest things in this world, and 95% of the reason why Strays is getting this rating. As the movie progresses, it moves away from the try-hard raunch that has stifled Will Ferrell’s worst outings to focus more on the dog-related humor. The lewd gags get a few good laughs, but they work best when having a clever connection to our four-legged friends. Once the incessant cursing stopped being there just to be there and started adding to the surprisingly heartfelt story of worth and friendship, Strays moved from almost unbearable to unexpectedly alright. PHILL Strays is one of the worst films to be released in 2023. This review may seem cynical, but for a film that is supposed to be a comedy, it’s just plain sad, both for the characters’ journeys AND the state of comedy as a whole if this is considered funny enough to be given a worldwide release. It’s grotesque and nauseating white noise, with almost every joke involving dog’s genitalia or dogs going to the toilet. All of that is thrown in with some cheap cameo choices that only work if you’ve seen the films they’re very lightly referencing, making Strays heinously terrible.

MASH VILLE Starring: Park Jong-hwan, Jeon Sin-hwan, and Jin Ye-sol Director: Hwang Wook This film has been reviewed by Nick and Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2024 Fantasia International Film Festival. NICK I don't partake in hallucinogenic drugs, but I can only imagine that's how director Hwang Wook wants you to watch this film. Mash Ville is bright, loud, campy, frenetic, and all over the map in a way that would make SNL 's Stefon blush. This film has everything: stylish cult members, poison liquor, shotguns, drunk cops, fake corpses, real corpses, the purest love... There's barely a coherent story here, and pretty much everyone in this thing is a cartoon character brought to life… but damn if I wasn't entertained. Mash Ville likely falls into the "so bad it's good” category, but I’ve certainly seen worse this year. QUENTIN Mash Ville is one of the most “extra, try-hard” movies I’ve ever seen. This chaotic mashup (get the title?) of comedic, western, thriller, crime drama, and action sensibilities makes no damn sense, nor is it remotely funny. Admittedly, I’m of the opinion that comedy is a genre that doesn’t work with subtitles because so much relies on timing, but still… I generally had no idea what was going on. I suppose that could mean something was lost in translation, but other than the Ennio Morricone-inspired score, I can’t call anything about Mash Ville watchable. How Hwang Wook won Best Director for this, I’ll never know.

TURNING RED Starring: Rosalie Chiang, Sandra Oh, Ava Morse, Hyein Park, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Orion Lee, Wai Ching Ho, and Tristan Allerick Chen Director: Domee Shi AMARÚ I haven’t decided what I like more about Turning Red : the little hints of horror to reveal Mei’s (Rosalie Chiang) Panda, the late-90s coming-of-age vibe, or Ludwig Goransson’s B2K/N’Sync-tinted score that encapsulates my childhood in one movie. I may not be a 13-year-old girl going through changes in her identity, but the strong themes of self-discovery, friendship, and familial ties are universal to all of us who have had to come into our own. Turning Red continues the Pixar tradition of writers telling their unique stories to create something beautiful and touching. JACOB Turning Red , like Luca before it, is unlikely to land near the top of anyone’s “Best of Pixar” list, but it could prove a nice time for kids and fans of the studio. That said, this Disney+ release doesn’t seem to explore its ambitions as thoroughly as it wants to. There is a fair amount of depth to cover, but the film only seems interested in it about half the time. Regardless, what it chooses to engage with, it addresses in fun ways. It’s also nice to see animation tackle female pre-pubescence specifically in such a carefully-nuanced fashion. NICK As someone who grew up on Pixar films, it was special seeing my hometown of Toronto represented on screen in this medium for the first time. In a nutshell, that’s what Turning Red is about: representation. Whether it’s looking into Asian culture and its values or giving early teen girls a (mostly) relatable film about the fears of puberty, Turning Red follows the Inside Out -approach of delving into the way we feel. Unfortunately, it lacks the emotional punch of the latter, while sadly spotlighting Disney’s reluctance to showcase LGBT characters. So, a marked improvement, but still room to grow in the representation field. QUENTIN Be it my complete inability to relate to the central themes, the obnoxiously irritating characters, or the fact that it’s a blatant Teen Wolf ripoff, Turning Red is easily one of Pixar’s “worst” movies. That said, Pixar doesn’t really make “bad” movies, so it’s still fairly decent; However, it very much feels like a straight-to-streaming effort on their part, lacking the emotional weight of some of the studio’s other offerings. It’s possible that women and teen girls (especially those of Chinese descent) will get more out of this film than I did, but it’s getting tossed on the forgettable pile alongside Onward for me. ADRIANO Although it might not be Pixar’s best, Turning Red is definitely their most mature film. Director/co-writer Domee Shi’s film is painfully awkward and relatable in its depiction of puberty and self-identity, going places I never expected to see in a Pixar movie. The animation is extremely unique and a ton of fun too. It’s genuinely very funny but, in traditional Pixar fashion, the emotions run high in the third act. It didn’t make me cry, but I was close. Another stellar Pixar outing.

STUDIO 666 Starring: Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Pat Smear, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett, Rami Jaffee, Whitney Cummings, Will Forte, Jeff Garlin, and Leslie Grossman Director: BJ McDonnell NICK Studio 666 doesn’t take itself too seriously, but the execution of the film is top notch. It’s ambitious, yet it works because it knows exactly what it is. You’re not going to find solid acting or some intricate mystery here - it’s a horror film starring Foo Fighters. That said, the band's chemistry translates to the big screen, and there are some surprisingly gnarly scenes (including one with a chainsaw I won’t soon forget). To fans of Foo Fighters, this will surely become a cult classic, and as for non-fans, Studio 666 is at least worth checking out. QUENTIN It’s not easy to thread the needle on a horror comedy, and while Studio 666 doesn’t exactly nail it, it’s not without its goofy charms. Admittedly, I’m a massive Foo Fighters fan so I may be biased, but it has a B-movie silliness and self-awareness that is infectious. It’s dumb, but they know it’s dumb and are in on the joke. The fact that they can’t act worth a damn only adds to its weird appeal. It's not perfect, but it’s not a waste of time or a vapid vanity project either. It’s likely to become a cult classic. PAIGE Studio 666 is a rad horror comedy that shreds in the laugh department while also indulging us with a bloody headbanging good time! Yes, it’s a silly B-movie that is over the top, but it’s also self aware, which makes it rock that much more. It really hits all the right notes. Truth be told, I already loved Foo Fighters, and this flick just made me love them even more. JACOB There’s a B-movie, grindhouse sort of fun to be found in Studio 666 , but unfortunately, the incredibly messy script and Dave Grohl’s terrible lead performance keep getting in its way. When the film really leans into just how ridiculous it is, it starts to shine; However, it keeps attempting to turn that ridiculousness into genuine horror, falling flat on its face every time. Fans of Foo Fighters may turn this into a cult hit down the line, but anyone seeking a diamond in the rough will unfortunately be met with a lump of damp coal.

SUNCOAST Starring: Nico Parker, Laura Linney, and Woody Harrelson Director: Laura Chinn AMARÚ Suncoast is a pretty standard coming-of-age story, but that doesn’t take away from its relatable themes and standout performances. Nico Parker is effortless in front of the camera, grabbing your attention away from veterans Laura Linney (who might be slightly overwrought) and Woody Harrelson (who definitely is the right amount of Woody). The film takes care with its heavy topics too, balancing the heft with heart, but does come up short by not delving too deeply into either. While Suncoast may not do anything new, it’s a nice watch for fans of the genre and a great launchpad for the charismatic Parker. PAIGE Suncoast is a personal, melancholy coming-of-age story about loss and grief that is worth seeing despite the fact that it treads on a lot of familiar tropes. Director Laura Chinn does an impressive job of blending humor and sorrow in her directorial debut, but the true stand out is Nico Parker, who elevates the material given to her. This flick will warm your heart and shatter it at the same time. I’m very much looking forward to what Chinn and Parker do next in their careers because they both have bright futures ahead.

FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE SECRETS OF DUMBLEDORE Starring: Jude Law, Eddie Redmayne, Mads Mikkelsen, Ezra Miller, Dan Fogler, Callum Turner, Alison Sudol, Jessica Williams, William Nadylam, and Victoria Yeates Director: David Yates AMARÚ It takes two-thirds of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore to completely wipe away the bad taste left by its predecessor. The early acts don’t quite nail the Harry Potter magic, but they do satisfyingly answer unresolved questions and lean on a strong ensemble. Dan Fogler and Jude Law continue to shine, but it’s the wonderful additions of Mads Mikkelson and Jessica Williams that carry the film through to a turning point in the third act that seemingly clicks the magic back into place. When the film started, I was worried about this franchise; Now, I’m genuinely excited to see where it goes next. JACOB Though better than the previous film in a series I now dread, the third entry in the Fantastic Beasts franchise is as overlong and dry as it could ever be. Mads Mikkelsen makes for a better Grindelwald on the whole, and Jude Law remains excellent as Dumbledore; However, the story is so scattershot that it’s a wonder the film even has time for Newt (Eddie Redmayne), the supposed series protagonist. The movie continually insists on its own importance in the wizarding world story, but never earns the audience’s attention or care. Despite its improved tonal consistency, the magic has run out.

MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING 3 Starring: Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, Louis Mandylor, Elias Kacavas, Elena Kampouris, Gia Carides, Joey Fatone, Lainie Kazan, and Andrea Martin Director: Nia Vardalos CALEB My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 is a frustratingly aimless rom-com that fails to deliver either romance or comedy. Instead of having a central conflict like the original, this narrative operates like a revolving door of pointless sub-plots that seem to come and go on a whim. The cast mostly just meanders around Greece, occasionally indulging in some sappy familial melodrama to keep the audience awake. If you like these characters enough to watch them go on vacation, then maybe this movie is for you. However, if you enjoy movies where things actually happen, you may want to sit this one out. PRESTON It’s my fault really, because… what did I expect?! All the Windex in the world can’t save this third outing. The only acceptable explanation for its failure is that the whole crew was reunited for a few drinks, reminded of their roles, and were then instructed to henceforth improv with unwarranted stage-like exuberance. The script is so frustratingly ill-prepared that all of the outrageous one-liners and once-funny Greek hubris fall completely flat. My advice: if you were a fan of My Big Fat Greek Wedding , avoid this rendition and rewatch the original again if you are feeling nostalgic. PHILL The My Big Fat Greek Wedding franchise has always been unremarkable, but the first film had some charm, and its simple culture-crossing love story was sweet enough to carry it through - all things the third film in this trilogy are not. My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 is deeply unfunny, and so poorly edited that it can barely be called competent. Scenes are very loosely connected, with character arcs having beginnings and incredibly unearned endings, but no middle. Everything about this third entry falls incredibly flat, and it sorely misses the late Michael Constantine’s Gus, who was the heart of the previous two films. JACOB It’s a real shame that the My Big Fat Greek Wedding trilogy as a whole can’t live up to the first film’s charm, but even disconnected from its franchise roots, this third entry probably wouldn’t be very good on its own either. Apart from the premise and shared characters, there’s not much it has to say about why its own story is important, other than that we should think it is. Scenes come and go with an occasionally funny moment, and there are some neat new characters, but ultimately there’s little to actually hold onto in terms of real quality.

NIGHT PATROL Starring: RJ Cyler, Justin Long, Jermaine Fowler, Phil Brooks, Dermot Mulroney, Nicki Micheaux, Freddie Gibbs, YG, and Flying Lotus Director: Ryan Prows AMARÚ Night Patrol would’ve been thrilling if it wasn’t so silly, and it would’ve been fun if it wasn’t so serious. RJ Cyler, yet again, proves that he’s one of today’s most underrated actors, Justin Long and Jermaine Fowler are dedicated in dramatic against-type roles, and even Phil Brooks (aka CM Punk) is cast well. However, a ridiculous script, unserious dialogue, and outlandish stereotypes made the plot reveals almost imperceptible amongst the laughably bad throwaway lines. The creators thought they were being provocative, but spectacularly and offensively failed. They should’ve followed Freddie Gibbs’, YG's, and Flying Lotus’s lead, all of whom knew the campy film they were really in. ROBERT I will say this for Night Patrol : it is a movie that is hard to peg down since it has elements of End of Watch mixed with The Devil’s Advocate and low-rent Sinners . Those aren’t bad films to emulate, but when you throw the whole refrigerator of leftovers in the stew, it might not gel into something digestible. That is this movie. It is too goofy to make sense of its messaging, and too derivative of recent horror efforts to either pay real homage or pull off a suitable copy. My bewilderment over trying to understand Night Patrol almost left me exsanguinated.

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.

LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND Starring: Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke, Myha’la, Kevin Bacon, Farrah Mackenzie, and Charlie Evans Director: Sam Esmail KATIE Leave the World Behind is an immensely enjoyable semi-apocalyptic psychological thriller featuring magnificent performances from a stellar cast. The film gradually reveals intriguing details about the nature of the disaster, inciting a relentless sense of tension that slowly builds, emphasised by the striking, off-kilter score. The answers to the many questions that the film poses don’t really matter; it's the collision of the different characters, the awkward tension, and emotional drama that drives the plot. Though undoubtedly a slow burn, the pacing is great, and the intriguing premise held my attention. QUENTIN Driven by terrific performances and dynamic direction that fuels the unsettling tension that only grows over the course of the movie’s runtime, I can honestly say there were no moments in which I wasn’t fully engaged with Leave the World Behind …until the relatively unsatisfying ending, that is. Plus, while I was captivated while watching the film, as the credits rolled, several questions entered my mind that made me think, “wait, but why did…? That doesn’t make sense.” All that is to say, when you’re in it, this movie is a winner – just don’t think too hard about it once it’s over. CALEB Usually, I'm a fan of director Sam Esmail, but Leave the World Behind did nothing for me. The premise was too ill-defined to hook me, and the characters were far too unlikable to root for. The film is essentially one long build-up for a very, very weak payoff. This made it feel like something M. Night Shyamalan might direct, but unlike Old (2021) or The Happening (2008), Leave the World Behind is too pretentious to have any fun with. The empty critiques on consumerism are almost as annoying as the disorienting camerawork. I can appreciate what Esmail was going for, but unfortunately, this one is a miss. PAIGE Leave the World Behind may not be your typical apocalyptic thriller, but it is an ominously slow burn that keeps tensions high throughout (not to mention the stylish camerawork and all-star cast that enhances the 2.5-hour runtime). This somewhat unsettling film is extremely thought-provoking, which some will find fascinating, but it ultimately leaves you with more questions than answers. That said, while the end result may not be completely satisfying, the film’s commentary on human dynamics is powerful enough to stick with you. ADRIANO I admire certain ambitions of Leave the World Behind , but beyond that, I found the movie lacking. There is no real thematic depth to draw me in beyond its mystery and cast, nor did I think the satire had any real weight or even much to say. There are moments when the weirdness sucked me in, but it felt like writer/director Sam Esmail was simply trying to get reactions at times, even if that wasn't his intent. Lastly, I simply did not like the ending. I can't say it didn't entertain me at all, but I don’t think this movie is worth much either. NICK Leave the World Behind provides more interesting questions than answers, but thanks to its great performances (highlighted by Julia Roberts) and some excellent visuals from director Sam Esmail, it makes for an interesting watch. Unfortunately, there's something missing in the proceedings as the film is just never as gripping as it should be. It works great as an in-the-moment watch, but if you think about it too much after the fact, you’ll see that there’s definitely an aspect of style over substance littered throughout. This is what stops the film from being great, forcing it to settle on being merely good instead.