AM I OK Starring: Dakota Johnson, Sonoya Mizuno, Kiersey Clemons, Molly Gordon, Jermaine Fowler, and Sean Hayes Directors: Tig Notaro and Stephanie Allynne PAIGE Despite being a cliché film about self-discovery, Am I OK? is undoubtedly a sweet and endearing gem, especially because Dakota Johnson and Sonoya Mizuno are excellent in their roles as best friends. Their wonderful chemistry enriches this straightforward but heartfelt coming-out tale about friendship and being your true self. Even though it seems cheesy, it's refreshing to realize that there is no timeline for figuring yourself out, and that it's never too late to break out of your shell. All in all, Am I OK? is an awkwardly charming flick. KATIE Am I OK? is a tender and sensitive friendship drama that focuses on Dakota Johnson’s character, Lucy, as she navigates her way through late-blooming self-discovery. The script captures the intimacy and intricacies of female friendship brilliantly, and Lucy and Jane (played by Sonoya Mizuno) have a comfortable, familiar dynamic that brings authenticity to their relationship. The film has a unique approach to the coming-of-age narrative, focusing on women in their mid-30s and reassuringly exploring the notion that no one really has it figured out. Overall, Am I OK? is an endearing, feel-good film with some great performances. SHADAN Dakota Johnson and Sonoya Mizuno share a sweet and charming chemistry in Am I OK? as life-long friends experiencing growing pains and new beginnings. There's nothing groundbreaking or otherworldly about the film: Stephanie Allynne and Tig Notaro’s direction is serviceable, and Lauren Pomerantz’s script rings true; however, it is ultimately uneven and a bit too safe. Still, any film that captures the nuance and beauty of female friendship and the awkward in-betweenness of your thirties as well as this one does is automatically worthy of my recommendation. The “your friends are your true loves” message is delivered loud and clear, and that’s always more than OK.

THE GUTTER Starring: Shameik Moore, D’Arcy Carden, Susan Sarandon, Paul Reiser, and Jackée Harry Directors: Yassir and Isaiah Lester AMARÚ The Gutter lets you know right away what you’re in for, and with Shameik Moore fully embracing the dumb from the start, I sat back and laughed my ass off. Following Moore’s lead, the epic ensemble of comedic character actors and a couple of living legends (Susan Sarandon and Paul Reiser) deliver hilarious bits with great timing and juvenile glee. It’s really hard to make purposefully idiotic humor work, but the surprising laughs and dedicated cast make this stupid time a hilariously stupid time. The Gutter is a 3-reel film on paper, but a 3.5-reel movie in my heart. KATIE The Gutter’ s indie charm and improvisational humour are enough to make up for the jokes that either didn’t land or went over my head. It’s satisfyingly stupid, reminding me of the feverish and often absurd comedic stylings of late 2000s Will Ferrell, with genuine laugh-out-loud moments, funny performances, and surprising cameos. How trashy the jokes are and how little it makes sense doesn’t really matter because it all makes the film even more stupid, and therefore, even more funny. The Gutter, providing it finds the right audience, is destined to be a cult classic. QUENTIN I’m about to reference a bunch of movies that The Gutter reminds me of. Some are because of the story, others because of the vibe. Now, I’m not saying it reaches the heights of the following titles yet, but there is plenty of potential for it to join this list after repeat viewings. It shares DNA with Dodgeball , Kingpin , BASEketball , Happy Gilmore, Undercover Brother , Super Troopers , Balls of Fury , Grandma’s Boy , and more. If that list resonates with you at all, you need to check this one out because it’s been a while since a comedy has successfully reveled in this type of unabashed low-budget silliness.

A NICE INDIAN BOY Starring: Karan Soni, Jonathan Groff, Sunita Mani, Harish Patel, Zarna Garg, and Peter S. Kim Director: Roshan Sethi KATIE A Nice Indian Boy is a sweet, feel-good film that presents the classic meet-the-parents rom-com with a twist. It's not a particularly original concept, as it reminded me a lot of East is East , but audiences rarely get to see gay characters in these cliché romantic scenarios. In that sense, it's refreshing and very moving. The leads, Karan Soni playing Naveen, and Jonathan Groff playing Jay, have great chemistry, but I would have loved a little more exploration of Jay’s character. Overall, A Nice Indian Boy is a heart-warming, comforting watch with genuine laughs and maybe a few tears. AMARÚ A Nice Indian Boy is a sweet romantic-comedy of old with touching modern day flourishes. The comedic timing coming from Karan Soni’s awkward energy makes for big laughs and palpable opposites-attract chemistry between him and Jonathan Groff, the latter whose charm pops off the screen. Soni, on the other hand, might portray one of the most irritating, self-deprecating rom-com characters I’ve ever come across, but the honest emotions their relationship forcefully uncovers makes for sincere familial drama amongst the typical romance beats. I said it already, but no other word works so fittingly than calling A Nice Indian Boy tremendously sweet.

ETERNALS Starring: Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, Lia McHugh, Brian Tyree Henry, Barry Keoghan, Kit Harington, Salma Hayek, Angelina Jolie, Lauren Ridloff, Don Lee, and Harish Patel Director: Chloé Zhao ADRIANO Eternals isn't a bad movie, but it is a messy one. The script is extremely exposition heavy, and the way it jumps between different time periods can be jarring. There also are numerous moments that could've been cut to make the movie shorter, and director Chloé Zhao's style doesn't really mesh with the MCU. On the plus side, the diverse cast is incredibly strong, especially Gemma Chan and Kumail Nanjiani. Overall, the film makes a clear attempt to escape typical MCU trappings, which is a fantastic step forward, but it's still flawed. It's worth watching to see for yourself. NICK The MCU has become a cinematic juggernaut partly due to the overarching story and distinctive style threading its 25 films (and several shows). The latest entry, Eternals , breaks that mold to the point it barely resembles an MCU entry. This is 100% a Chloé Zhao film, which doesn't work for the most part. The sceneries are vast and the action sequences are fantastic, but they're few and far between. As for the characters, they lack intrigue, while the dialogue contains enough exposition to make Dune blush. Phase 4 has some work to do to reach the heights of its predecessors. AMARÚ Eternals looks beautiful and dreams big. Hopeful themes about humanity run rampant throughout director Chloé Zhao's grand aesthetics and the characters' open-hearted view of Earth (Brian Tyree Henry, Don Lee, and a subtle Angelina Jolie are standouts). Big philosophical swings about life's grand schemes work well, especially when they pit the heroes' beliefs against one another. However, that leads to some cliché one-liners and all-too-convenient plot points, which are saved only by the charming innocence displayed by such powerful beings. Great chemistry helps to elevate the telegraphed exposition, making Eternals a slightly better than average, yet highly rewatchable, MCU addition. JACOB Many things will be said of Marvel's Eternals , but expect none of them to be overtly positive out of the gate. The film is decent... and it looks great in certain scenes... but its emotional tones are often uneven and its pacing is far too outstretched. That said, I did appreciate how different the film felt from typical MCU fare, as it rarely references the other films and stays most concerned with the story it's telling rather than the ones around it. Chloé Zhao’s directorial style fades in and out, but there is enough to enjoy, even on a surface level. QUENTIN Eternals isn't outright terrible, but it's certainly terrible by MCU standards. Aside from a few camera shots that are pure art and two anticipation-generating post-credit scenes, there is very little to rave about. The cast seems mostly uninterested in being involved (Angelina Jolie and Salma Hayek genuinely feel like stunt casting), and there is almost zero on-screen chemistry amongst the ensemble. On top of that, the CGI is periodically shoddy, the characters are dull, and it's generally boring - just... So. Much. Exposition. I appreciate Marvel's effort to expand outside their proven formula, but Eternals is a huge swing and miss.

LICORICE PIZZA Starring: Cooper Hoffman, Alana Haim, Sean Penn, Tom Waits, Bradley Cooper, Benny Safdie, and Skyler Gisondo Director: Paul Thomas Anderson ADRIANO Licorice Pizza might be my favorite movie of 2021. This is writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson’s lightest movie to date, but that doesn’t mean it’s lacking the same masterwork that he usually presents. However, this time, it’s a sweet coming-of-age love story. Co-leads Cooper Hoffman and Alana Haim both give star-making performances and have some amazing chemistry together. It has some very funny moments (especially from Bradley Cooper) and some fun odes to the 70s, but it never loses track of its relatable theme of finding your place in the world. JACOB Though imperfect in pacing and marked by one or two unnecessary elements, writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson’s Licorice Pizza is nonetheless a delight to experience. The sentimental tale of Californian adolescence in the 70s is totally sincere in its sweetness toward its characters and setting, and it’s all-too-easy to fall in love with them both. Cooper Hoffman is relentlessly charming as Gary Valentine, but it’s his chemistry with (and the stellar performance of) first-time actress Alana Haim that really lands the plane. Haim, in particular, could easily be up for an Oscar nod. What a performance! What a picture! QUENTIN Despite being a meandering movie that is more about capturing the essence of the 70s than telling an A-to-B story, Licorice Pizza stays engaging. However, the base plot gets extremely creepy if you think about it for more than two seconds because it earnestly follows the semi-toxic courtship between a 25-year-old woman (Alana Haim) and a 15-year-old boy (Cooper Hoffman) as if it’s an adorable love story that everyone should root for. Such things shouldn’t be romanticized. This troublesome message, made worse by the unlikability of Hoffman’s character, torpedoes all the otherwise excellent things the film has going for it.

BARBER Starring: Aidan Gillen, Aisling Kearns, Liam Carney, David Herlihy, and Simone Collins Director: Fintan Connolly AMARÚ Barber feels like it would fit right alongside BBC’s Sherlock , delivering weekly investigations as a TV show. Coupled with an interestingly personal character storyline for the always fantastic Aidan Gillen, I wasn’t too mad at it. While it feels longer than its 90-minute runtime, focusing on a slow and simmering pace rather than the flash-bang intensity of other private investigator content, Gillen is able to chew up the pensive moments with his grizzled demeanor and gravelly tone. Barber isn’t anything new, but Gillen carries the titular private-eye role like he’s known this character intimately for more than a few decades. PRESTON Barber neatly fits into a style of film that I particularly enjoy. It is a thoughtful and (somewhat excessively) slow-developing whodunit that wields the tools of dialogue and subtlety with journeyman-like effectiveness. Aiden Gillen performs the role of complicated private investigator perfectly, and one can imagine a successful TV series spinoff. The editing is rarely clunky, but it still suffers slightly in execution as director Fintan Connolly rushes to fit a confusing myriad of characters into the film’s denouement. Incidentally, the timing of its filming highlights the more annoying aspects of the pandemic, which is never fun to relive.

DRACULA Starring: Caleb Landry Jones, Christoph Waltz, Zoë Bleu, Guillaume de Tonquédec, Matilda De Angelis, and Ewens Abid Director: Luc Besson KATIE Dracula is an irresistibly overdone treat. It’s visually stunning, full of rich, detailed, and lavish costuming and set design, as well as gorgeous cinematography. It’s theatrical in the best way, especially some very entertaining dance set pieces. Some aspects of the story are ridiculously silly, but this lends itself to the grandiose tone and unashamedly romantic take on the tale. It focuses on Dracula’s tragic love story, framing him as an empathetic, tortured soul, but it still has some moments of bloody horror. Caleb Landry Jones is enthralling in the leading role, even considering his hammy, vaguely Eastern European accent. ADRIANO If you’re going to tell a story that’s been told to death already, the very least you can do is introduce an engaging angle, either narratively or stylistically. There’s some of that in writer/director Luc Besson’s Dracula , but it’s all minimal and results in the same ideas of past incarnations. Beyond that, the filmmaking and writing are awkward, and the editing is choppy to the point of barely anything being comprehensible. It’s not all horrid; the production of the film itself is lavish enough to hold attention, but it’s a struggle to get through otherwise. PAIGE Luc Besson’s Dracula could not hold my attention in the slightest. Tonally, the film is all over the place, the pacing drags, the visuals are dingy and dull, and the editing is outright atrocious. The story doesn’t offer anything new to the lore of the famous vampire and seems unsure what type of movie it wants to be. To be frank, it felt like the poor man’s version of Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker's Dracula . Even the phenomenal Christoph Waltz could not save this movie from being a complete snooze fest.

SPEAK NO EVIL Starring: James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, Scoot McNairy, Aisling Franciosi, Alix West Lefler, and Dan Hough Director: James Watkins KATIE Had I not seen the trailer for Speak No Evil countless times, the slow deterioration of the increasingly sinister situation would have been more impactful. That said, it's still brimming with awkward tension, sometimes unbearably so. My patience eventually wore thin with the characters’ stupid decisions, but this effectively highlighted the extent to which they would go to preserve social etiquette and expose the weaknesses in the couple’s relationship. Above all else, James McAvoy is incredible, and it's worth seeing for his powerful performance alone, which veers from endearing and warm to sinister and malicious with a subtle flash of a sickeningly menacing grin. PAIGE The Speak No Evil remake never pushes its own boundaries, which is odd for a movie all about pushing boundaries. Though it is a solid thriller with a strong ensemble, especially James McAvoy's amazingly unhinged performance, it lacks suspense and doesn't really offer anything new. It’s essentially a shot-for-shot recreation of the Danish version, which has more to say about its subjects. The original also leaves a longer lasting impression on its audience than what we are left with here. It's by no means a terrible movie, and my criticism probably would be less if I hadn't just watched the original film so recently. AMARÚ You may not think it, but Speak No Evil is a banger of a crowd pleaser that is simultaneously hilarious and terrifying. Spurred by a “how the fuck do we keep forgetting how amazing this man is” performance from James McAvoy, I haven’t had this much fun in the theater all year. Combined with its sparing use of music, it’s a steadily increasing ball of unnerving squirms and nervous laughter that had me continuously guffawing and exclaiming with my fellow moviegoers. The climax isn’t as tense as its creepy build up, but sometimes it’s about the journey isn’t it? This journey had me dying! PRESTON This is not entirely the fault of the writer-director James Watkins, but I hated the protagonists. The incapable, sniveling husband and over-righteous, hypocritical wife made me glad for their comeuppance. Plus, given the spoiler of a trailer, the film is just too damn predictable. James McAvoy is as creepy as you might expect, but any tension that is built is quickly deflated by the tame violence and pure stupidity of the victims’ actions. Overall, an entertaining film that doesn’t live up to its own hype or potential. QUENTIN Had I gone into Speak No Evil completely blind, it likely would have ended up with a higher rating. The movie is built on a delightfully unhinged, “keep ‘em guessing” performance from James McAvoy, except if you’ve seen any of the trailers, which (in Germany, at least) were shown nonstop, there isn’t much to guess. The marketing pretty much lays out the entire movie for you. So, the first hour, which should be a slow-burn of simmering tension blandly exists before lazily heading into a finale filled with generic and standard home invasion tropes. McAvoy is great, but the trailers shot this movie in the foot.

FREESTYLE 101: HIP HOP HISTORY Starring: Open Mike Eagle, Iron Solomon, Ice-T, and Chuck D Director: Frank Meyer AMARÚ While Freestyle 101 delves into interesting aspects of freestyle rap (region-specific definitions, scientific research, battle rapping), the film’s piecemeal structure creates major lulls through its first hour. Video quality fluctuates between interviews, certain freestyle breaks overstay their welcome, and identical clips are used multiple times, making it seem like the filmmakers weren’t sure how to fill the runtime. It wanders listlessly until they channel the storytelling through independent artists Open Mike Eagle and Iron Solomon. Once they focus on these subjects, the documentary is an alright addition to this year’s celebration of 50 years of Hip-Hop. QUENTIN While the montages of people freestyling make for a decent enough distraction, the history and interview aspects of Freestyle 101 leave a lot to be desired. Between the rudimentary history lessons, the testimonials that feel dated and cheaply done like a workplace training video, and the overall repetitiveness, this doc is probably best for people who know absolutely nothing about freestyling and hip-hop. On top of that…and obviously this won’t be the same for everyone…but despite his reputation, I don’t think Iron Solomon, one of the main focal points here, is all that great (or he at least pales in comparison to Open Mike Eagle).

THE LITTLE MERMAID Starring: Halle Bailey, Jonah Hauer-King, Melissa McCarthy, Javier Bardem, Daveed Diggs, Jacob Tremblay, and Awkwafina Director: Rob Marshall NICK I've long been adamant that The Little Mermaid was the film with the best shot to shed the “soulless” criticism many Disney live-action adaptations have faced. But even in saying that, I wasn’t expecting it to feel so magical. I have some minor quibbles: the VFX has its challenges, and the reliance on lifelike creatures makes Sebastian a little scary looking. Otherwise, this film is fantastic. It shines in its musical numbers, and Halle Bailey is a revelation as Ariel. Ignore any outside noise about her casting, she’s pitch perfect. I can’t think of a better way to introduce a new generation to this story. ADRIANO Colour me surprised! As someone who has been very against Disney’s live-action remakes, The Little Mermaid stands above them all as being able to retain the magic of the original. Did we need it? Maybe not, but it did give us a magnificent performance from Halle Bailey. I don’t think they could have picked someone better for Ariel. Admittedly, the visuals are rough, especially in the underwater scenes and the horrifying design of Sebastian, but there actually is a soul here. That’s not something I can say about the other live-action remakes. A delightful trip under the sea that I’m glad I went on. AMARÚ Something’s always missing from these live-action Disney remakes, and director Rob Marshall’s lack of cohesion is what holds back The Little Mermaid . The film begins like one big music video, with interludes of dialogue bloating the first hour. Luckily, once we hit land, he uses Halle Bailey’s star-making performance as Ariel, her chemistry with Jonah Hauer-King (Prince Eric), and great voice-over work from Daveed Diggs (Sebastian) and Awkwafina (Scuttle) to tell a story with musical accompaniments instead of the other way round. The Little Mermaid doesn’t justify these live-action adaptations, but it found enough footing to avoid being another disappointment. JACOB While noticeably imperfect in most of the ways these things usually are, The Little Mermaid is easily the best Disney live-action remake in years (and probably since Pete’s Dragon ). Although it’s visually uninteresting to look at with direction that is fairly bland, the characters and their motivations are somewhat evolved in the translation. Everyone seems to be genuinely trying here, but no one can quite compare to Halle Bailey’s star-sounding turn as Ariel. Admittedly, the new Lin-Manuel Miranda songs are occasionally more distracting than pleasant, but what worked before pretty much works again. Kids are sure to have a great time. PAIGE While this live-action rendition of The Little Mermaid is swimmingly cute and charming, it lacks the magic touch of the 1989 animated classic. At times, director Rob Marshall’s remake is bogged down with pacing issues and filled with mediocre visual effects. The story also lacks added lore to allow it to stand on its own two feet. However, don’t let that take away from Halle Bailey’s portrayal of Ariel because this girl is a star in the making with a voice of an angel. Bailey’s and Daveed Diggs’(Sebastian) performances are what keep this film from drowning.

I WANT YOUR SEX Starring: Cooper Hoffman, Olivia Wilde, Mason Gooding, Chase Sui Wonders, Daveed Diggs, Charli XCX, Johnny Knoxville, and Margaret Cho Director: Gregg Araki NICK After already making a mark on the year with The Invite , Olivia Wilde is back with another strong performance in Gregg Araki's I Want Your Sex . Araki's film is sexually charged throughout, even toying with explicit territory, as it dissects modern sexuality in often humorous ways. Wilde excels as a fiery dominatrix, but it's Cooper Hoffman who takes the biggest risk with his fearless portrayal of Elliot. Although the comedy doesn’t always hit as intended, the two leads along with a strong supporting cast (especially Chase Sui Wonders and Mason Gooding) keep I Want Your Sex an entertaining watch from beginning to end. ADRIANO I’m not sure the conversation writer/director Gregg Araki got out of me with I Want Your Sex is the one he wanted. While it’s clear the distinction he’s making between sexual deviancy and true romance, where I raise an eyebrow is the blurry portrayal of each desire. With that in mind, though, while it fails to reach its intended profound climax, I sure had fun on this ride. I laughed, the stylistic wonkiness was engaging, Cooper Hoffman continued to show his talent, and Olivia Wilde’s standout performance contributed to another win for her in 2026. BODE Director Gregg Araki has been marching to the beat of his defiantly stylish and unabashedly queer drum for the better part of 30 years. I Want Your Sex , his first feature since 2014’s White Bird in a Blizzard , sees him continuing to do just that, employing many of his tricks to explore the sexual dynamics across different generations. While he isn’t necessarily breaking new ground like he used to, it’s still plenty of fun to watch unfold. Plus, the loveable cast (Olivia Wilde! Cooper Hoffman! Chase Sui Wonders!!!) is game enough to ensure that this horny, thorny ride is worthwhile.

FRIENDSHIP Starring: Tim Robinson, Paul Rudd, Kate Mara, Jack Dylan Grazer, Josh Segarra, and Billy Bryk Director: Andrew DeYoung ADRIANO As a long-time fan of Tim Robinson's I Think You Should Leave , I'm delighted to say his comedic sensibilities aren't exclusive to sketch comedy. Thanks to Robinson's pitch-perfect delivery, Friendship contains plenty of laughter throughout. The constantly excessive absurdism of the plot and Paul Rudd's delightful straight-man act also add a lot to the experience when it comes to the hilarity. Did I think the movie's message on loneliness could've been executed better? Perhaps. But if you need to laugh consistently for 97 minutes, I don't know how Friendship wouldn't be exactly what you're looking for. NICK I think you should leave... That’s what I thought about 10 minutes into Friendship as I realized this wasn’t going to be my kind of comedy. I stayed until the end, sure, but my suspicions were correct. Aside from the rare gag I found to be clever, at best, I couldn’t muster much more than the odd smirk. Had I not expected the laugh-out-loud comedy this was promoted as, I could have gotten deeper into the concept of this bizarre character study. Instead, I was left with Tim Robinson’s repetitive antics and question of “why?” It’s safe to say this one just wasn’t for me. AMARÚ The desire for personal connection is universally relatable, and the team behind Friendship utilizes over-the-top humor to emphasize that basic human need. However, what some call cringe comedy, I call flat out annoying. Really, what the hell did I just watch? I get what Tim Robinson and writer/director Andrew DeYoung are going for, but there’s only so much self-inflicted pain you can cause before it crosses the line into embarrassment. They are habitual line-steppers, and my urge to walk out of the theater to avoid the next uncomfortable situation that the unlikable characters put themselves in is not an experience I want to repeat. BODE It’s probably easy to assume that Friendship is an extended I Think You Should Leave sketch, especially given that it stars Tim Robinson, one of the new masters of cringe comedy. You wouldn’t be totally off, as writer/director Andrew DeYoung leans into Robinson’s trademark discomfort for everything it’s worth, ensuring that this demented portrait of male loneliness never takes a conventional path (even in moments where you think it will). It’s not only funny as a result, but unexpectedly poignant as you peel back the layers. It can be a little scattershot at times, but even with that, Friendship manages to linger. This film was reviewed by Adriano as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.