SKINAMARINK Starring: Lucas Paul, Dali Rose Tetreault, Ross Paul, Jaime Hill Director: Kyle Edward Ball JACOB Skinamarink is more of a movie of atmosphere than of plot, and for that reason, it will not be for everybody. That said, for the true micro-budget horror heads out there, it's a quietly small miracle of theatrical distribution and filmmaking. The first twenty minutes are rather slow as the film builds ambiance, but once a knife is mentioned, the tension holds to the very end. It may very well terrify those who vividly remember dark nights in 90s homes with shag carpet and wood paneling. Director Kyle Edward Ball should be proud of what he achieved here. NICK I’ll never fault someone for taking risks, but director Kyle Edward Ball's Skinamarink certainly brings mixed results. There are positives to be found, mostly a Super 8 film approach that works wonders, and Ball is great at using minimalist filmmaking to find tension. Unfortunately, this style also leads to moments that feel long and drawn out, which would have been overcome by a shortened runtime. This film requires a lot of patience from its viewer and it’s certainly not for everyone, but it did succeed in creating an eerie vibe and giving me one of the better scares I’ve had in some time. JOSEPH If ever a movie could be best described as “a vibe” it would be Skinamarink . It’s a mixed bag of sorts that I wish delivered more heavily on scares, but, that being said, I can’t turn off the lights without thinking about it. TikTok may have oversold it a bit as it’s not for everyone, but it’s a great example of how to capture a mood and force an audience into discomfort. It’s worth a watch, but be warned, it’s highly experimental. This film was originally reviewed by Nick as part of Bitesize Breakdown’s coverage of 2022’s Fantasia International Film Festival.

THE GORGE Starring: Miles Teller, Anya Taylor-Joy, Sigourney Weaver, and Sope Dirisu Director: Scott Derrickson NICK Although the concept of "the gatekeepers to Hell" is an interesting one, it's undone by a film that's clearly flawed. We could talk about the lack of chemistry between Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy that creates a steady disconnect as their relationship grows. Or we could talk about the incredibly dated effects that reminded me of films like Van Helsing , which released more than 20 years ago. Or the sloppy edits, or the jarring tonal shifts… I could go on. The Gorge may have been well set up for success (notable cast, successful director, Black List script), but it wasn't able to achieve it. QUENTIN There are two movies in The Gorge — a decent one about snipers protecting the world from “the door to hell,” and the other about two loners finding love in the unlikeliest of situations; however, director Scott Derrickson doesn’t execute either one particularly well. Despite intriguing (if overly expository) world-building, the “Hell” story suffers from poorly shot action sequences and shoddy CGI. Meanwhile, the “love” story is ruined by Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy’s lack of chemistry and the meager emotional investment generated from two people passing notes. One can see glimmers of why this script was on the Black List, but as a film, it’s mediocre. KATIE Initially, there seemed to be a lot to like about The Gorge – a strong cast that features Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller, a compelling concept, and a reliable director – before it becomes something else entirely. The romantic connection between characters prohibited from contact and entrusted with guarding a mysterious, undisclosed threat is an interesting idea, but is quickly discarded in favour of a less interesting, more predictable story that heavily relies on poor-quality CGI. The effects are bad, the scenes look flat, and the action set pieces are lifeless. Overall, The Gorge fell short of all my expectations. PAIGE Even though The Gorge feels like two movies sloppily combined into one, I was nonetheless entertained by it, even if I expected better from director Scott Derrickson. The first half is a somewhat ominous tale of two lone snipers who are the "gatekeepers of hell" finding love in an unexpected place, while the second half turns into a high-concept, sci-fi action film with strong video game influences. These intriguing concepts should have been better handled so the movie flowed as one. At least it includes decent performances from Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller, as well as another rad score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, whose work elevates the movie. AMARÚ The Gorge is a weird hodgepodge of tonally throwing shit at the wall, that is both interesting and completely confounding. It jumps from character drama to wacky rom-com to horror sci-fi to action romance, and it’s hard to pin whether it’s sterile or stimulating. From scene to scene, the answer to that question relies on the two leads’ performances, and apologies to Miles Teller, but there’s a gorge-sized gap between his and Anya Taylor-Joy’s appeal. Whether she’s laughing, crying, or killing, you only really want to watch her, even as she carries Teller to the end of this winding ride. ROBERT If you cobbled together the love story of Upside Down with the antagonists of I Am Legend and the conceit of Chernobyl Diaries , you would have The Gorge . When there is a mystery and burgeoning romance, you can see an interesting concept, but once it steers hard into sci-fi action, it falls off a cliff (literally). Miles Teller gets to drum at some point, so you remember when he was at his apex, but otherwise, you shouldn’t care. Scott Derrickson tried an amalgamation of all genres of movies he directed prior, but it screams “lack of cohesion” into the void. BODE In its attempt to mesh a long-distance romance between haunted assassins with B-movie thrills, The Gorge has the type of genre-bending ambition that I can admire theoretically. However, though director Scott Derrickson sets things up with a fair amount of intrigue, it increasingly reveals itself as a hollow and derivative exercise, not helped by inorganic shifts in tone (bookended by some out-of-place needle drops), and a lack of chemistry between stars Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy. Dan Laustsen’s cinematography and a nervy score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross elevate the material, but, for the most part, it’s ultimately forgettable.

PIECE BY PIECE Starring: Pharrell Williams, Jay-Z, Missy Elliott, Timbaland, Gwen Stefani, Justin Timberlake, Busta Rhymes, Snoop Dogg, N.O.R.E., Pusha T, Daft Punk, and Kendrick Lamar Director: Morgan Neville NICK I love big swings, and the idea of doing an entire documentary in LEGO form is a BIG swing. Unfortunately, Piece by Piece never does anything to justify the gimmick. Much like the music in the film, the LEGO aspect feels like it's only there to distract from the fact that this is a VERY surface-level biopic. Anything serious or contentious is barely mentioned in passing, so it all comes across as a little shallow. I’m sure Pharrell Williams has an interesting story to tell; hopefully, he’s ready to tell it someday. ADRIANO Piece by Piece is baffling. The equivalent of a feature-length troll, this movie lacks any semblance of sincerity towards Pharrell's story, and it tries to disguise that with a questionable LEGO filter. Piece does nothing to change our perception of Pharrell, and it’s more interested in being a fluff piece with comically little about his family life or any humiliating conflict, not to mention a final ten minutes that just made me go, "No, they are not doing this!" If there is something more to Pharrell's story, this movie does a poor job showing that, and for a movie that preaches imagination, this had none. AMARÚ Just an FYI, this is more of a public service announcement than a review because Piece by Piece hits every part of my bias. This film is the soundtrack of my life, filled with my favorite artists. It was made for me and my people. From the first beat drop that transported me to my childhood to the chords that helped create this grown man, I got chills realizing how much one artist can shape one’s life. I would’ve been happy with a straightforward documentary, but adding LEGO’s creativity (especially how they represented a beat) kept my head nodding and my face grinning for 90-minutes straight. This film was reviewed by Nick and Adriano as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.

HIM Starring: Marlon Wayans, Tyriq Withers, Julia Fox, Tim Heidecker, and Jim Jefferies Director: Justin Tipping NICK I think if Him was content with just being a story about the lengths one will go for greatness, it could have worked better. Instead, it’s a film that feels compelled to touch on things like race and religion without the depth to handle either. It’s too bad, too, because Marlon Wayans is actually quite entertaining, and there are some solid visuals throughout the film. It just all feels so hollow. It’s undone by striving to be more than it is, which is often the downfall of many pro athletes. Unfortunately, that parallel was unintentional. ADRIANO Much like the protagonist in the film (played well by Tyriq Withers, admittedly), Him has sincere hidden greatness. Maybe this is my anticipation talking, but I saw the potential even in the worst moments of the empty style that only distracted from the empty messaging. Too much of Him baffles more than frightens, but even at the lowest points of extreme confusion and disappointment, I was optimistic that it would redeem itself. And then the third act came, eradicating any potential it had to come back around and truly proving that Him has nothing to say. AMARÚ Him has everything necessary for a harrowing tale about athlete commoditization and the dangerous sacrifices of obsession. Director Justin Tipping’s visuals are hauntingly captivating, and Marlon Wayans’ mad-eyed intensity is perfect as the wayward mentor to Tyriq Withers’ doe-eyed naivety. You can see greatness in individual scenes, but the screenplay lacks absolutely any amount of tension. Instead of the ebbs and flows of a full-fledged story with rising actions climaxing to an anxiety alleviating resolution, it’s an outline of spectacle put on film. Montages, music, and motivational phrases aren’t enough to capture audiences’ attention. They’re only enough to waste the potential of this film’s talent.

ANIMAL FARM Starring: Seth Rogen, Gaten Matarazzo, Steve Buscemi, Glenn Close, Laverne Cox, Kieran Culkin, Woody Harrelson, Jim Parsons, Andy Serkis, Kathleen Turner, and Iman Vellani Director: Andy Serkis QUENTIN Andy Serkis’s adaptation of George Orwell’s Animal Farm is an odd one. On one hand, many of Orwell’s original themes are relevant today, particularly in the United States, which makes a movie like this even more important right now. On the other hand, this is a movie geared towards younger audiences. Will kids pick up on any of the timely subtext? Will they even care? I just don’t know. Still, it’s an enjoyable film with great vocal performances by the star-studded cast, but it falls into the purgatory of being too childish to be strictly for adults and too thematically nuanced to be strictly for kids. ADRIANO What do you get when you take a masterwork and try to dumb it down for babies? You get Animal Farm, a baffling disaster. I get modernizing George Orwell’s book to reflect today's authoritarianism, but because director Andy Serkis and writer Nicholas Stoller are so intent on making this dark tale kid-friendly, it’s sanded down to the point where its critiques are obsolete. And even if you want to ignore the source material (like the filmmakers did), Animal Farm is still the lowest common denominator kids' nonsense. Yet they expect them to understand totalitarianism? This is truly for nobody. This film was reviewed by Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2025 Zurich Film Festival.

BUTCHER'S CROSSING Starring: Nicolas Cage, Fred Hechinger, Jeremy Bobb, Xander Berkeley, Rachel Keller, and Paul Raci Director: Gabe Polsky QUENTIN Butcher’s Crossing doesn’t always work, but it offers enough to satisfy fans of the western genre. The biggest problem is that the story beats come too quickly. The audience isn’t given enough time to settle in with the characters before they evolve into their next form, which undermines the intended effect of their arcs. Plus, the lengthy text coda at the end is important information, but it feels very forced and not particularly in line with the themes of the movie. That said, Nic Cage does great work as a buffalo hunter on the verge of madness, and the cinematography is breathtakingly beautiful. KATIE I love John Edward Williams’ novel Butcher’s Crossing , so I was keen to see how the story would be adapted to the screen. Although the book is told through the eyes of the young William Andrews (played by Fred Hechinger), the film instead focuses more on Nic Cage’s character, Miller, while neglecting to explore his motivations outside of psychotic tendencies. The audience isn't given a chance to know the characters, and the film instead uses a lot of delirious montage sequences to convey their emotional states. Overall, this is an unfortunately shallow adaptation of a truly great piece of American Literature. This film was reviewed by Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival.

LIFT Starring: Kevin Hart, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Vincent D’Onofrio, Billy Magnussen, Jacob Batalon, and Jean Reno Director: F. Gary Gray QUENTIN You know, it doesn’t take a lot for a heist movie to get a passing grade from me, but goodness gracious, it’s not like Lift even tried. Between the terrible CGI, uninspired characters, flat humor, and poorly done trope after poorly done trope, not even my unashamed bias for all things heisty could get me to engage with this thing. If this movie is good for anything, it’s as something to be shown at Kevin Hart’s Netflix intervention: “Look, Kev, we respect your hustle and work ethic, but stop making these terrible Netflix movies. You’re hurting yourself and those around you. Have some respect for yourself.” AMARÚ You have Vincent D’Onofrio, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Billy Magnussen, Jacob Batalon, Jean Reno, and Kevin Hart in a heist film directed by F. Gary Gray. That is the biggest layup ever for a fun-ass time; all you gotta do is write some semblance of coherence. But noooooo, Lift was apparently written for TikTok. It throws every single heist trope (both comedic and dramatic) at the wall with no logical progression, and tries to cover it up with cool music, flashy action, “lovable” characters, and fast-paced direction. Lift is just a poorly constructed shell enclosing the cast and crew’s obvious paychecks. PRESTON Lift is director F. Gary Gray’s latest release, and Kevin Hart’s most recent Netflix offering. How else can I describe Lift ? Well… imagine watching The Italian Job , but instead of being good…it isn’t. Don’t get me wrong, the cinematography and style are decent, and reminiscent of many good heist movies. The problem seems to lie in writing that produces utterly flat dialogue that the actors don’t even know how to deal with. Any attempt at injected charm falls short, the jokes don’t land, and the “tense” moments are the only times you want to laugh. To quote Liar, Liar , “I’ve had better.”

APOLLO 10 1/2: A SPACE AGE CHILDHOOD Starring: Milo Coy, Jack Black, Glen Powell, Zachary Levi, Josh Wiggins, Lee Eddy, Bill Wise, Natalie L'Amoreaux, Jessica Brynn Cohen, Sam Chipman, and Danielle Guilbot Director: Richard Linklater JOSEPH I’m not really sure what to make of Richard Linklater’s newest endeavor, Apollo 10 ½ . On one hand, it feels like an audiobook come to life, with the drawings playing out in front of you. It’s almost dreamlike in that sense. However, the marketing materials and trailer both imply that this is a story about a boy going to space, not so much a Boomer’s recollection of his childhood. It’s definitely more the nostalgia of the latter than the fantasy of the former, and it blends the two aspects in a confusing way. Overall, it’s probably better for older crowds, but it still wasn’t bad. QUENTIN While I don’t think writer/director Richard Linklater’s latest will appeal to younger generations, the nostalgia and rotoscoping animation mostly won me over. It’s essentially The Sandlot meets Dazed and Confused , highlighting what it was like to be a 10-year-old in 1969, which I found extremely relatable despite being born in 1981. As for the child astronaut fantasy, Linklater could have cut the entire underdeveloped plotline and not missed a beat. Ultimately, if you can’t see pieces of your childhood here (riding down the highway in the back of a pickup truck, playing baseball in the street), you’ll probably think Apollo 10 ½ is pretty lame.

THE WATCHERS Starring: Dakota Fanning, Georgina Campbell, Olwen Fouéré, Oliver Finnegan, Alistair Brammer, and John Lynch Director: Ishana Night Shyamalan KATIE Ishana Night Shyamalan crafts an incredibly creepy atmosphere in her feature debut, The Watchers . The intriguing premise and gothic style drew me in each step of the way, complemented by chilling sound design and a great lead performance from Dakota Fanning. The script is sometimes uneven, utilising some very heavy-handed metaphors and clunky dialogue, but my enjoyment outweighs the problems I have with it, all of which are common for a first film. Overall, The Watchers is a very promising start for Ishana Night Shyamalan. PRESTON Ishana Night Shyamalan follows in her father’s (M. Night Shyamalan) footsteps with a successful first outing as a film director with The Watchers . The sound design is the star of this fantasy-thriller, bolstered by excellent supporting visual effects and cinematography. The plotline is handicapped by a few inflection points that confuse and frustrate, while the repetitive, conspicuous messaging is a bit too tenacious. However, the story borrowed from A.M. Shine’s novel is quite inventive and keeps you engaged. We even get the expected Shyamalan plot twist to boot. I think we can expect great things from Ishana Night Shyamalan in the future.

DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Rachel McAdams Director: Sam Raimi AMARÚ Dear Mr. Raimi, Thank you for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness . I haven’t felt this giddy since 2004. The action, horror, and absurdity are so much fun. But now it’s time to relinquish the director’s chair as it is, in fact, no longer 2004. You built a fantastic world with great tone, but your character relationships and dialogue didn’t age as gracefully. If not for Ms. Olsen’s terrifyingly emotional performance proving that Scarlet Witch is, without question, the MCU’s most powerful character, I may have tuned out. Thanks again, had a blast, will definitely re-watch. I appreciate your visit. JACOB Director Sam Raimi’s trademark zaniness lines Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness just enough to make up for some of its larger shortcomings. Though the film can’t always handle everything it sets out to accomplish, it’s as much fun as a superhero movie has been in a long time. Embracing horror and camp is a good look for this franchise; however, it is not without fault. The film’s mistreatment of Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) is the largest stain clouding what is otherwise a refreshingly different MCU adventure despite Olsen’s continued excellence in the role. That said, I’d still recommend the film. NICK Style over substance - that’s the best way to describe Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness . Visually, there are some spectacular images and horror elements, but otherwise, this thing is a bit of a mess. The writing is rough, doing a disservice to a few of its characters, and director Sam Raimi's signature camp and cheese seem out of place in an MCU film. Even the cameos feel kind of cheap. When you consider where we started and ended, it feels like a standalone film rather than a Phase 4 entry. Aside from the introduction of America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez), I am disappointed. ADRIANO I liked Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness more than I didn’t. Marvel allowed director Sam Raimi to go "Full Raimi,” which made for a glorious experience. I loved the departure from the MCU formula, especially the awesome horror elements, but Elizabeth Olsen stole the whole damn show as Wanda Maximoff. Although I loved what they did with Wanda in this movie, Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is a bit underdeveloped and rushed. Overall, the film felt more like a filler episode than the massive-scale, multiversal blockbuster event that was advertised, which left me feeling underwhelmed. QUENTIN The Doctor Strange sequel is a lot. It’s bursting at the seams with exposition, cameos, trippy visuals, and easter eggs, not to mention the overwhelming Sam Raimi-ness of it all that tries to incorporate horror elements, attempts at being heartfelt, and his special brand of cheesiness. And while it doesn’t quite gel all the time, there are more than enough interesting bursts to keep the viewer engaged. In the pantheon of MCU movies, it’s one that you’ll enjoy while watching it, especially as you consider the ramifications of what everything means going forward, but probably not one that you’ll make an effort to watch repeatedly.

GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE Starring: Mckenna Grace, Finn Wolfhard, Logan Kim, Celeste O’Connor, Carrie Coon, and Paul Rudd Director: Jason Reitman ADRIANO Despite the odds, Ghostbusters: Afterlife works. Director/co-writer Jason Reitman revives the franchise in a way that pays homage to the original while also making it feel fresh. It somehow maintains the magic of the 1984 version, feeling both fun and genuinely scary at times, and serves as a lovely tribute to Harold Ramis. The whole cast is amazing, but Mckenna Grace nails it as the lead. I had a few issues with the script and a couple nostalgia-driven moments made me roll my eyes, but that aside, this is a revival that sticks the landing. NICK With original director Ivan Reitman's son, Jason Reitman, stepping into the director’s chair, Ghostbusters: Afterlife is a love letter to the original films. The cast breathes new life into the series with Mckenna Grace having a breakout moment, while some key cameos will appease longtime fans of the series. There are laughs, scares, and even some tears. Reitman nailed it with this one. He has managed to make a film that fits firmly into the Ghostbusters universe that still works as a standalone film with the potential to relaunch the franchise. Well done. QUENTIN Ghostbusters: Afterlife doesn’t do anything “wrong” necessarily, but the only thing it does exceptionally “right” is the nostalgia porn. From the not-so-secret cameos to the general atmosphere, it genuinely feels like it could be an 80s movie as opposed to a movie trying to recapture 80s magic. However, it skews much younger, feeling more like Goosebumps than a Ghostbusters sequel. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it does come off a tad neutered. The jokes are vanilla, the emotional bits are wavetop, and it doesn’t expect much from its audience. Older fans should adjust expectations. JACOB Although Ghostbusters: Afterlife presents itself as a singular adventure, it eventually reveals itself to be two stories in one. However, neither story is completely fleshed out, as you only get the end of one and the beginning of another. That’s not to say it’s bad. It’s generally polished, but it spends more time trudging up nostalgic memories than it does telling its own tale. While the attempts at humor are admirable, they mostly fall flat. A lot of this movie seems to work on the surface, but unlike the film’s setting, there’s hardly anything lurking beneath.

BEAU IS AFRAID Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Patti LuPone, Nathan Lane, Amy Ryan, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and Parker Posey Director: Ari Aster NICK What do I even say about Beau Is Afraid ? Some people ADORE this film. Some people HATE it. I understand both reactions. For me, I find it similar to last year’s White Noise : an ambitious film (basically) broken into acts with varying levels of success. There are many aspects I enjoy…Joaquin Phoenix works great as man-child Beau and there is some exceptional camera work and visuals…but it doesn’t amount to a succinct film unhampered by its runtime. It’s not a write-off, and it’s filled with subtle details begging for a re-watch, but it is still ranked third in director Ari Aster’s three-film filmography. JACOB If anything can be said for Beau Is Afraid without refute, it’s certainly Ari Aster’s most audacious film to date, and somehow one of Joaquin Phoenix’s strangest turns. A horror comedy of lengthy proportions, this saga of chaos and confusion takes less of a conventional route through terror and instead establishes itself as something akin to a prolonged surrealist anxiety attack. It certainly didn’t need to be three hours long, and the entirely unexpected third act will be make-or-break for most people, but I can’t say I wasn’t fascinated or eager to see what would happen the whole way through. ADRIANO I love Ari Aster’s previous films, so my hype for Beau Is Afraid was sky-high. Although I liked it, it does feel a little too self-indulgent for me to praise its ambitiousness. Joaquin Phoenix is reliably great, as is Patti LuPone; however, the film’s first hour introduces the surrealism in a funny and engaging way before the second hour lost me. At that point, most of what is happening on screen feels like it’s only happening to cater to Aster. By the end, I understood what he was going for, but it left a conflicted taste in my mouth. PAIGE Beau (Joaquin Phoenix) might be afraid, but director Ari Aster sure isn’t. This movie is honestly one of the most obscure and maddening movies I’ve ever seen. It feels like a full-blown fever dream that has the anxiety knob cranked up to eleven. It’s a lot to take in, and like Aster’s other films, I admire the craftsmanship put on display through his style and production design while simultaneously never wanting to watch this ever again. Of course, Phoenix is great as expected, but this movie is not for me, and it probably won’t be for many others either outside of huge Aster fans.