WHAT YOU WISH FOR Starring: Nick Stahl, Tamsin Topolski, Penelope Mitchell, Randy Vasquez, Juan Carlos Messier, Brian Groh, and Ariel Sierra Director: Nicholas Tomnay QUENTIN All in all, What You Wish For has several flaws. It moves a little too slowly (especially at the start), some of the acting is extremely wooden, and it could have used a lot more tension and suspense once the second act hits. Having said all that, I still enjoyed it, even if it did often remind me of better movies like The Menu . Plus, and maybe this is just me, but it’s nice to see Nick Stahl working again. I wouldn’t call it necessary viewing, but it’s a decent indie thriller, and probably one of the more surprising offerings I saw at Fantastic Fest. NICK The Menu was one of my favourite films last year, and while What You Wish For doesn't live up to it, it’s still a serviceable addition to the underrated culinary horror genre. Although the darker storyline shows potential, it’s hurt by average performances and pacing issues throughout. The message (as alluded to in the title) of your wishes not being what you expected would likely have had more impact with a more likable lead, but that doesn’t fall on Nick Stahl. Combine this with the lack of suspense and intrigue, and you have a film that I unfortunately expect to forget before long. PRESTON Be careful What You Wish For, indeed. Conceptually, director Nicholas Tomnay’s streaming feature is extremely clever, but requires some forgiveness of its somewhat cut-rate execution. The car green-screening looks like 1970’s era technology, the dialogue is stilted, and overall editing could have been better. Having conceded those points, the story’s originality and amusing plot carries you along for a thoroughly enjoyable experience. It’s easy to see why comparison to The Menu is warranted and deserving, even considering its faults. I had no expectations going in and had a great time, which is probably the right approach. KATIE I knew very little about What You Wish For going into it, which is undoubtedly the best way to experience this taught indie thriller. The film is the latest addition to a growing genre of social satires targeting the rich, and it's solidly entertaining and fun, even if it lacks the satirical bite of films like The Menu. Although the dialogue leaves much to be desired and some of the performances fall flat, the concept is engaging, it's darkly funny, the setting is gorgeous, and there is some interesting camerawork. Whilst it doesn’t serve up the sharpest satire, it's still worth trying. This film was reviewed by Quentin and Nick as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of Fantastic Fest 2023.

I SWEAR Starring: Robert Aramayo, Maxine Peake, Peter Mullan, Shirley Henderson, and Francesco Piacentini-Smith Director: Kirk Jones AMARÚ First and foremost, there are plenty of things to say about BAFTA because their actions put a mighty large shadow over not only the Black community, but also a movie that is tremendously human, moving, and empathetic. I Swear , at points, is a little too on-the-nose with its messaging, but with such a misunderstood topic and an inviting cast, this works in the film’s favor. Robert Aramayo is both authentic and effective, and Maxine Peake makes you want to be adopted by her any day. This real-life story is the epitome of why resilience and empathy are two of humanity’s greatest virtues. KATIE I Swear is a touching, surprisingly funny film that explores the moving real-life story of Tourette's syndrome campaigner John Davidson. It's sentimental, but I was utterly moved by the sad yet ultimately heart-warming story, as well as Robert Aramayo’s incredible performance as Davidson, who impressively meets the physical demands of the role. The film captures the way in which misunderstanding and lack of awareness around Tourette’s impacted his relationships and nearly destroyed his life, yet it’s often hilarious and manages to find humour in even the most challenging and awkward situations.

BROTHER Starring: Lamar Johnson, Aaron Pierre, Marsha Stephanie Blake, Kiana Madeira, Lovell Adams-Gray Director: Clement Virgo NICK Brother , a story about the importance of family and community, is not without its flaws. As someone who grew up near Scarborough, the essence of the city isn’t quite captured, and director Clement Virgo's reliance on timeline-jumping and ambiguity causes the film to drag. Although Lamar Johnson and Aaron Pierre give solid performances, it’s Kiana Madeira who brings the humanity this film needed more of. The main thing this feature has going for it is the cinematography, though. The outdoor shots especially are among the nicest I saw at TIFF. Brother isn’t a lost cause, but it’s bound to be forgotten by year's end. JOSEPH When director Martin Scorcese talks about “cinema,” I imagine Brother is the type of film he is talking about. Though the narrative can be a bit wonky at times, it’s a slice of life story that feels earnest in its depiction of the dangers of some urban neighborhoods. The film is paced in such a way that you get to spend a lot of time with the characters in order to truly know them, sitting in a pensive silence with them often. Again, the film is not without its flaws, but I can strongly say it’s a masterfully crafted piece of cinema AMARÚ With Brother , director Clement Virgo demonstrates a masterful hold on editing and visual narration. He makes non-linear storytelling feel linear, and it’s a really intriguing way to showcase a beautifully sorrowful story. A story that, while engrossing, never feels like it really digs as deep as it should. The circuitous screenplay ends up being simultaneously its biggest strength and its biggest hindrance, creating staccato dialogue that makes scenes feel cut short. Though many of its aspects are exceptional, Brother ’s powerful themes and delivery still made me feel there was more left to explore. This film was reviewed by Nick as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival.

THE SHROUDS Starring: Vincent Cassel, Diane Kruger, Guy Pearce, and Sandrine Holt Director: David Cronenberg QUENTIN While The Shrouds isn’t without moments of intrigue, it’s generally let down by a convoluted conspiracy mystery, stilted acting (especially from Vincent Cassel), and atrocious dialogue. Also, not that I’m exactly complaining, but why is Diane Kruger naked for most of her scenes? In any case, I want to give writer-director David Cronenberg the benefit of the doubt because I know he’s using this movie to work through grief about his wife passing, not to mention it was originally written as a series for Netflix; however, in the end, I think he might have been a little too close to this one to recognize its flaws. NICK Although I respect the man's work, I haven't been enamoured with a David Cronenberg film in a minute. Sadly, The Shrouds does nothing to change that. This is my least favourite offering of his in a while, in fact. A dialogue-driven film with poor and unnatural dialogue, the interesting story tidbits Cronenberg offers are quickly extinguished by underwhelming performances (Vincent Cassel has painfully low energy). Even the body horror and copious amounts of nudity feel disingenuous. I’ve seen many films about grief, but The Shrouds is one of the few to make me grieve my decision to watch it. ADRIANO There was a lot of discussion about The Shrouds that I had with myself driving home from the theatre. With writer/director David Cronenberg's latest meditation on grief, inspired by the tragic passing of his wife, I find myself both conflicted and loving it. I love the concept and ambition, easily, and I appreciate the patient nature and the sincerity that came with it, but I also felt that patience drowned some of its thematics a little bit, lacking a punch I was maybe waiting for. I was overall into this movie, but I wonder if a second viewing could be helpful. BODE When I initially saw David Cronenberg’s The Shrouds at TIFF last year, I struggled with it in ways that I haven’t with some of his previous late period films. I almost dismissed it, but there were enough aspects about the film that made me feel it earned another viewing. I’m glad I gave it one, too, because I found its clearly personal (and darkly amusing) portrait of the strange ways some deal with grief (in a digital world) connected with me more. I won’t say it’s one of his best, but it is another fascinating entry in a long career. This film was reviewed by Quentin and Nick as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival and 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, respectively.

DRIVE-AWAY DOLLS Starring: Margaret Qualley, Geraldine Viswanathan, Beanie Feldstein, Colman Domingo, Pedro Pascal, Joey Slotnick, C.J. Wilson, Bill Camp, and Matt Damon Director: Ethan Coen NICK An 84-minute film should always move along at a brisk pace, and Drive-Away Dolls does that for the most part. However, some of director Ethan Coen’s decision-making halts that pace intermittently, messing with the flow of an otherwise entertaining comedy. If you can get past the psychedelic cut scenes, the pair of Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan make for a solid “odd couple,” while Pedro Pascal and Matt Damon entertain in their brief screen time. It may not have reached the heights I was hoping it would, but Drive-Away Dolls still makes for an enjoyable watch. PAIGE Drive-Away Dolls is a zany and horny road trip flick that very much marches to the beat of its own drum. Though the freewheeling queer crime comedy is very much reminiscent of the Coen Brothers’ earlier works Raising Arizona and The Big Lebowski , be prepared for Ethan Coen’s solo offering to be a bumpy ride at times as the movie is a little bit uneven. Still, even if it's not one of the stronger Coen outings, the movie is kept moving by the chemistry and character dynamics between its two leads, Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan. CALEB I’m really getting tired of these pulpy, crime-comedy B-movies. The zany, fast-talking heroes, the secret briefcases, the silly accents, the squabbling hitmen, the “witty” dialogue - it’s all so played out. Even at 84 minutes, Drive-Away Dolls drags. The character arcs are generic, the antagonists aren’t threatening, and the protagonists spend most of the movie completely unaware of the stakes. Try as they might, the flashy editing and garish VFX sequences aren’t enough to distract from the dull script. Outside of some decent cinematography and a fun performance from Geraldine Viswanathan, Drive-Away Dolls doesn’t have much to offer. ADRIANO After director Joel Coen's solo outing with modern masterpiece The Tragedy of Macbeth , it's now his brother Ethan's turn with Drive-Away Dolls . With this film, Coen seemingly wanted to make a fun, breezy B-film, and he ultimately succeeds…but perhaps it's a bit TOO breezy. Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan's chemistry is endearing, but the crime elements, while funny, are rushed. At 84 minutes, it's the rare film that's too short, as most of it feels like a lucid acid trip, for better and for worse. Drive-Away Dolls can be a blast, but in the end, it’s not enough of one. QUENTIN You may recall that I named Drive-Away Dolls one of my most anticipated movies of 2024’s first half (read about it HERE! ), which makes it all the more disappointing that I didn’t care for it…like, at all. Long story, short: director Ethan Coen is lazily plagiarizing himself, pulling elements from The Big Lebowski , Fargo , The Man Who Wasn’t There , The Ladykillers , Burn After Reading , and more; wrapping them all up in a horny lesbian love story that borders on fetishistic. Add in a terrible accent from Margaret Qualley, insignificant cameos from major stars, the oddly lifeless story, and pacing issues…well, you’ve got a rare Coen miss.

NIGHT SWIM Starring: Kerry Condon, Wyatt Russell, Amélie Hoeferle, Nancy Lenehan, Gavin Warren, Jodi Long, Eddie Martinez, Elijah Roberts, and Ayazhan Dalabayeva Director: Bryce McGuire NICK Although the Night Swim trailer didn’t inspire confidence, I went into it with an open mind. I wasn’t expecting much, just a fun bit of spooky storytelling to waste 98 minutes on. What I got, however, was neither fun nor spooky. It’s been a while since a film has irked me as much as this one due to its gaps in logic (both big and small) and its inability to create any tension whatsoever. Aside from myself and my audience getting some laughs at the expense of the film, the only thing Night Swim made me feel was bored. A legitimate early contender for Worst of 2024. CALEB I was hoping Night Swim would be another 'fun-bad' horror movie like M3GAN (2023). Unfortunately, it isn’t fun at all, but it certainly is bad. For a story about a haunted swimming pool, the script takes itself far too seriously. The result is a maddeningly dull horror flick, devoid of any interesting concepts or exciting sequences. The effects are mediocre, the cinematography is flat, and the blatant lack of style is borderline insulting. Maybe if it took a few risks, it could’ve been fun, but Night Swim seems content playing in the shallow end where it’s safe… and boring. PRESTON Watching Night Swim can be equated to something excruciatingly mundane…going to the grocery store, perhaps? There are some moments of complete absurdity and mild perturbances, but it’s otherwise filled with the most unremarkable circumstances. I don’t know what it is about Blumhouse Productions’ films that make them solidly entertaining OR a complete trashcan fire, but this most recent release definitely falls into the latter category. If you are a fan of B-horror movies (even when they aren’t intentionally that way), you might get a kick out of watching when it hits streaming, but for everyone else…be forewarned. KATIE My expectations for Night Swim were not high, but I was hoping for some trashy, so-bad-its-good fun. Unfortunately, instead of leaning into the absurdity of the premise, it takes itself far too seriously, and is dull as a result. It is simply not scary in the slightest, struggling to maintain any sense of tension, and despite its relatively short run-time, it still feels too long, especially as the final act is drowning in clumsy exposition. The only redeeming aspect of the film is Kerry Condon, who gives the best performance she can in spite of the script and ridiculous plot.

SPOILER ALERT Starring: Jim Parsons, Ben Aldridge, and Sally Field Director: Michael Showalter ADRIANO While I can definitely understand people calling Spoiler Alert simple, I was very much into this movie. Michael Showalter is a director that consistently gives bare minimum direction, and all semblances of specific styles just felt inconsistent here. However, what the film lacks in originality, it makes up for in heart. Honestly, this movie emotionally destroyed me throughout the second act, not only because of its heartbreaking plot, but also the endearing chemistry between Ben Aldridge and a career-best Jim Parsons. It was hard not to feel anything for these two, which helped make this film a nice surprise. JACOB Spoiler Alert is decent, working at its best when Jim Parsons and Ben Aldridge are running purely on their terrific chemistry, but the trappings of its cancer narrative are decidedly conventional and some filmmaking choices hamper its inherent power. Though the true story basis provides an emotional center, the film is continually interrupted by unnecessary narration and sitcom-style cut-ins, as though it doesn’t trust Aldridge and Parsons are good enough actors to sell those notes themselves. That said, it’s hardly the boomer-humor doom piece its marketing suggests, even if the presence of Sally Field and Bill Irwin are more distractions than enhancements.

MUFASA: THE LION KING Starring: Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Tiffany Boone, Kagiso Lediga, Blue Ivy Carter, Preston Nyman, Mads Mikkelsen, Lennie James, Thandiwe Newton, Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, and John Kani Director: Barry Jenkins NICK Although 2019’s The Lion King set a low bar, I still wasn’t expecting much from Mufasa . In that sense, it was a pleasant surprise. Overall, it's an improvement in literally every way, and I thoroughly enjoyed the opening 45 minutes. But that’s when the flaws started creeping in. Some of the visuals are genuinely jaw-dropping, but many others fall victim to the limitations of the current technology. It’s the writing, however, that deteriorates enroute to a rushed conclusion. It diminishes all the positives, including Braelyn Rankins’ “I Always Wanted A Brother.” Having said that, your kids are going to love it. AMARÚ Mufasa is a clear example of the difference top-tier directors can make. Barry Jenkins overcomes 2019’s The Lion King ’s heavy baggage by imbuing this prequel with tons of emotional range, from humor and hope to terror and courage. It, of course, helps having veteran voice talents like John Kani and Keith David to enhance the CGI animals’ emotionality, but Jenkins’ visual choices give audiences more opportunity to really see the characters’ hearts. The writing does lack depth, which isn’t helped by rushed pacing, but similar to Lin-Manuel Miranda’s songwriting, even though nothing is left to the imagination, the end product leaves an affecting impact. ADRIANO After the disastrous 2019 “live-action” remake of The Lion King , director Barry Jenkins is here to make… slight improvements. The mere existence of a soul in Mufasa gives it a leg over its predecessor, and the voice acting is really good for the most part. However, this is a visual downgrade because it looks much murkier with animal faces that go into uncanny valley territory. On top of the cringe humour, forgettable music, and prequel-baiting, the story ultimately is just flat and unengaging. This could've been much worse, but it's still a miss.

THE WOMAN IN THE YARD Starring: Danielle Deadwyler, Okwui Okpokwasili, Peyton Jackson, Estella Kahiha, and Russell Hornsby Director: Jaume Collet-Serra BODE It was only a matter of time before modern genre craftsman Jaume Collet-Serra returned to his horror roots, and with Blumhouse no less. But I don’t think that combination properly prepared me for what The Woman in the Yard had in store. Serra takes what could’ve felt familiar in its exploration of grief and depression, and pushes it (with the help of DP Pawel Pogorzelski and the committed brilliance of star Danielle Deadwyler) to surprisingly expressionistic places, further accentuating its palpable dread, and making some of the heavy-handedness in Sam Stefanak’s debut script easier to forgive. I mostly dug this. ADRIANO The Woman in the Yard's unapologetic bleakness is almost admirable, but it very clearly bites off more than it can chew. The filmmaking works. The excellent cinematography contributes to the storytelling and director Jaume Collet-Serra's tension. Danielle Deadwyler is (obviously) amazing, but the child actors, Peyton Jackson and Estella Kahiha, are equally great. That said... the writing tanks it. It sets up something interesting, but it's textbook "this should've been a short." It spins its wheels for way too long and its final act becomes nonsensical. I can respect the ambition, but it failed to leave the impact it tried for.

THE MONKEY KING Starring: Jolie Hoang-Rappaport, Jimmy O. Yang, Jo Koy, Hoon Lee, Stephanie Hsu, Andrew Pang, BD Wong, Ron Yuan, James Sie, and Bowen Yang Director: Anthony Stacchi KATIE The Monkey King is a fun - if average - animation, best suited to very young viewers. The central character, Monkey (voiced by Jimmy O. Yang), is annoying, but not in an endearing or funny way. He can be slightly unlikable, which makes it very difficult to appreciate his character arc, but did make me appreciate Lin’s (Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) unwavering understanding. On a positive note, I thoroughly enjoyed the Dragon King’s periodic appearances. Voiced by Bowen Yang, he channels the extravagance of The Little Mermaid' s Ursula with a menacing intensity, and his fabulous musical number was my favourite part of the film. PHILL The Monkey King has very little going for it, outside of some flashy colours. Every single character in the film is completely grating and hugely unlikable, and they never really evolve or develop in any way. The action sequences are exceptionally dull, and they make up far too much of the runtime. Unfortunately, watching a stick spin around and bonk a bad guy on the head can be entertaining only so many times. Strangely, the biggest offender might be the incredibly bizarre soundtrack that never seems to pick a consistent style or suitably compliment a scene.

NO TIME TO DIE Starring: Daniel Craig, Léa Seydoux, Rami Malek, Lashana Lynch, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Rory Kinnear, Jeffrey Wright, Billy Magnussen, Ana de Armas, and Christoph Waltz Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga NICK No Time to Die may not be the best film of the Daniel Craig-Bond era, but it’s easily his most layered performance as the titular character. After introducing connective tissue in Quantum of Solace , this film wraps up a five-film arc and does so with finesse and poise. Léa Seydoux, Ana de Armas and Lashana Lynch bring out each side of Bond, while there is no shortage of action beats, including some fantastic car chases. It's a fitting send off for Craig, who will go down as one of the best Bonds of all time, an accolade well earned. AMARÚ The connective tissue between Spectre and No Time to Die may lose you at the start given how forgettable Spectre is, but once it moves on, everything that is great about James Bond kicks into high gear. Slick action, the right amount of (corny) humor, and charisma dripping from every actor (Ana de Armas and Lashana Lynch, especially). The runtime flies with intense cat-and-mouse games between intelligence agencies until a more conventional third act can no longer hide its uninspired villain (Rami Malek is wasted) and unfathomably indestructible hero. Still, the odd-numbered Daniel Craig-Bonds are now 3-for-3. QUENTIN Daniel Craig’s time as James Bond has ranged from eh to excellent, but never because Craig made a great or terrible Bond. He's been perfectly fine, though somewhat uncharismatic. It really lived and died with the direction and writing. That said, the overlong Bond 25 is generally well directed, but falters with the writing. The opening action sequence is fantastic, but the plot gets super convoluted with unclear character motivations, while the action mostly devolves into uninspired gunfights. I appreciate that it gives a proper ending to Craig’s Bond era, but it's a distant third behind Casino Royale and Skyfall . JACOB Although No Time to Die never really gets around to justifying its length, there's never a moment that feels dull or too slow. Daniel Craig’s final outing as Bond is more emotional than one might expect, but also funnier than anticipated, even if not all the comic bits land. Linus Sandgren's excellent cinematography brings some beautiful imagery to the screen, and the fantastic action sequences really stand out. Rami Malek is a menacing villain, although he's not quite in the movie enough to count among the greats, but what this film really needed was more Ana de Armas. ADRIANO Daniel Craig’s send-off as James Bond is near perfection. Not only is it very stylish and badass, but also emotionally satisfying. The action is epic too, with director Cary Joji Fukunaga crushing every car chase and shootout. The story, featuring heavy global and personal stakes, as well as a wickedly good villain played by Rami Malek, more than justifies the film's lengthy runtime. My only gripe is that Ana de Armas is unfortunately very underused. That aside, No Time to Die is an excellent Bond movie.

GUNSLINGERS Starring: Nicolas Cage, Scarlet Rose Stallone, Heather Graham, Stephen Dorff, Bre Blair, Cooper Barnes, Eric Mabius, Costas Mandylor, and Tzi Ma Director: Brian Skiba KATIE Gunslingers is laughably, outrageously bad. The only redeeming aspect of this film is that if you view it through a satirical lens, it's quite hilarious, but that was not the intention. From its suspiciously AI-generated-looking establishing shot, the calibre of filmmaking is clear. Each performer feels like they’re in a different film, and some of them are so wooden that I was not surprised to learn at least one cast member has a recognisable surname. Everything looks cheap, and the hair and make-up are distractingly modern. Together with the choppy editing, nonsensical plot, and absurd shoot-outs, not even Nicolas Cage’s ridiculousness could salvage this mess. ROBERT There is a standard of quality for straight-to-VOD efforts that Gunslingers , on its best day, couldn’t achieve. I will say that the title indicates what type of film to expect, but other than that, it gets no grace. The acting is comparable to an elementary school play, the sound design reminds me of a screechy drive-thru window, and you could put a GoPro on a flying squirrel and have more logically composed shots. And lastly, there is off-kilter Nic Cage, but this isn’t even bad to the point of fun. Pirating this would cost too much. QUENTIN You already know that I only watched this because I am a Nic Cage completist. Once again, he proves that, as an actor, he is always doing something interesting even if the movie isn’t, because Gunslingers is BAD bad. I’m talking so bad that if the right people find it, it could 100 percent be the next The Room . It’s cheap looking, unintentionally hilarious, terribly acted (outside of Cage, of course, who is making choices ), and just an all-around disaster full of genre clichés and stereotypes. It might be, no exaggeration, the worst western I’ve ever seen. Still, one reel for Cage and midnight movie potential.