DUST BUNNY Starring: Mads Mikkelsen, Sophie Sloan, Sigourney Weaver, Sheila Atim, and David Dastmalchian Director: Bryan Fuller AMARÚ Dust Bunny is a fun and imaginative action romp that grows on you after a slow start. Director Bryan Fuller mixes colorful visuals and dynamic cinematography with a playful score to highlight the fantastical (dis)agreement between the monster-plagued eight year-old Aurora (Sophie Sloan) and her contract-killing Intriguing Neighbor (Mads Mikkelsen). At first, the playfulness is over-exaggerated, erroneously hoping its poorly edited, over-stylized action will bolster a limited-dialogue first act. But once they let the skillfully playful cast (including a movie-anchoring Sigourney Weaver) verbally interact, the story finds a campy, macabre groove that delivers on a deliciously wicked time. QUENTIN Stylish as it may be, featuring a production design that blends the fantastical sensibilities of Tim Burton with Wes Anderson’s whimsy, director Bryan Fuller is seemingly confused about who Dust Bunny is for. Although R-rated, it’s as safe for pre-teens as the PG-rated Gremlins and Ghostbusters , which means those coming for the hardened scares and violence advertised will walk away disappointed given how tame and cutesy it all is. The slow, virtually dialogue-free first act and extremely shoddy special effects won’t help win those people over, either. That said, if allowed to see it, younger audiences and fans of Goosebumps will eat this thing up. KATIE Dust Bunny wasn't for me. I liked the child-friendly, dark fairytale, horror approach, and the young Sophie Sloan is fantastic as Aurora, especially considering she’s opposite Mads Mikkelsen. However, it doesn’t work, overall. The story has too many unnecessary elements, and I found it tonally confusing; it's too gruesome and violent for younger viewers, but it felt like a kids' film through the style and characters. The physical setting and costuming are vibrant and interesting, but the CGI-heavy visual effects make some scenes look murky, nullifying the effect of any potential scares. BODE Bryan Fuller has created some of my favourite shows, from the boldly re-inventive Hannibal to the one-season gem Wonderfalls , so I had fairly high expectations for his feature debut. I can’t quite say Dust Bunny met them, but there are things to appreciate about it – from its gorgeous production design (reminiscent of Jean-Pierre Jeunet) to the fact that it's practically tame enough to work as a gateway horror flick for kids. It’s just a bit too simplistic and shockingly sluggish at times to fully standout. Still, it’s weird and tender enough to be an overall interesting watch.

FATHER STU Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Jacki Weaver, Mel Gibson, Teresa Ruiz, Alain Uy, Carlos Leal, Aaron Moten, Cody Fern, and Malcolm McDowell Director: Rosalind Ross JACOB Though it’s not a total misfire, Father Stu feels misguided in its approach to telling the story within its average-at-best framework. A miscast Mark Wahlberg gives what he can to a ham-fisted, two-dimensional narrative about redemption and faith without the movie ever bothering to truly challenge its central character. There are teases at genuine conflict, but no commitments. The film wants to have it both ways by making its main character flawed and relatable but somehow also infallible in the narrative; never perfect, but never at fault either. Unfortunately, the supporting cast is of little help in elevating this C-grade material. QUENTIN As a non-believer, I’m always skeptical of faith-based movies because, by design, they usually favor sermon over story. Father Stu , to its credit, exercises some restraint on the preachiness, but it doesn’t have much else to say either. It’s oddly too long while also being completely devoid of nuance. Fact is, you don’t learn much from the movie that can’t be gleaned from the trailer. Mark Wahlberg is fully committed as the shaggy ne'er-do-well, but once he finds Jesus, the shallowness of the "Jesus Saves!" plot becomes more apparent. That said, it’s one of the more watchable faith-based movies I’ve seen (admittedly, a low bar).

TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE BEASTS Starring: Anthony Ramos, Dominique Fishback, Peter Cullen, Pete Davidson, Liza Koshy, Cristo Fernández, John DiMaggio, Ron Perlman, Michelle Yeoh, David Sobolov, Tongayi Chirisa, Peter Dinklage, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, and Colman Domingo Director: Steven Caple Jr. JACOB While not especially impressive from a storytelling perspective, Rise of the Beasts nonetheless comes off as a solid, B-tier Transformers story with real heart and some genuinely fun action sequences, particularly those that include certain 90s needle drops. The humor largely doesn’t work for most of the movie, and the titular beasts are more like guest stars than fully developed characters, but the film is well-structured with Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen) being given more dimensionality than he has ever had before. I wouldn’t say I’m “confident” in the future of this pretty much rebooted franchise, but I am cautiously optimistic. AMARÚ There’s nothing groundbreaking about Rise of the Beasts aside from it being Transformers’ second “not bad” film in a row. Although Beasts is nowhere near the heights of Bumblebee , returning to the run-of-the-mill action and dialogue that plagues most of these films, none of it is overly offensive. Pete Davidson’s voice work as Mirage is a highlight, and both Dominique Fishback (Elena) and Anthony Ramos (Noah) are absolute stars. Combine that with an excellent 90s hip-hop/R&B soundtrack, and the film’s perfectly okay. Plus, it gets an extra half-reel for including a certain Incan first name I’m highly familiar with. ADRIANO Rise of The Beasts is proof that what this franchise needed is less of Michael Bay’s sensibilities and more containment. That said, there’s still much more room for improvement. The first two acts drag their feet to a laborious degree by spending too much of its overlong runtime setting up uninteresting stakes that don’t engage as much as they intend to. Still, though, the new additions, such as Anthony Ramos and Pete Davidson, shine, and the final act excites. It’s a flawed film, but it’s watchable, nonetheless.

NEXT GOAL WINS Starring: Michael Fassbender, Oscar Kightley, Kaimana, David Fane, Beulah Koale, Rachel House, Elisabeth Moss, Will Arnett, Uli Layukefu, and Taika Waititi Director: Taika Waititi NICK As someone who loves Jojo Rabbit (also directed by Taika Waititi) and also played soccer for 20+ years, it felt like Next Goal Wins was made for me to love it. Turns out, this wasn’t the case. The childlike humour mostly misses the mark, and Waititi’s treatment of the transgendered Jaiyah Saelua (Kaimana) is mishandled. On top of that, this is a sports film that failed the main objective of the genre: get me invested in the team. I just couldn’t get myself to care. Admittedly, the bar is higher coming from Waititi - it’s not a complete lost cause - but this can only be seen as a disappointment. ADRIANO After years of delays, I've finally seen Next Goal Wins and...it's solid, I guess. If you're not into co-writer/director Taika Watiti's sense of humour, this isn't gonna change your mind; however, as someone who is into his style, I found the film quite funny. As a crowd pleaser, Next Goal Wins works, and the film boasts a funny cast, led by an amazing Michael Fassbender, but the writing is quite weak in terms of characterization and story structure. Plus, its portrayal of American Samoa as careless goofballs is a little reckless. Although it's a good time, it’s not necessary viewing. AMARÚ Since 2017, director Taika Waititi has been largely hit-and-miss with both his acting and directing, and unfortunately with Next Goal Wins , he may have officially tipped the scales in the wrong direction. His brand of slapstick comedy has gotten old, and while there are a few laughs within the film, too many land like a bombed stand-up comedy set. It’s even more blatant when juxtaposed to the heart and care Waititi puts into the film’s dramatic aspects (the storyline surrounding stand-out Kaimana is particularly heartwarming), but those poignant moments are almost always ruined by the next flat joke. PRESTON For better or worse, Next Goal Wins is exactly what you might expect from the directorial style of Taika Waititi. It stumbles off the starting blocks, making me doubt the level of care being taken with the portrayal of the American Samoan people. But once I warmed up to its style and characters, I found the film to be quirky and charming in just enough ways to make it a gratifying experience. Its biggest success is the life-loving message to not take things so damn seriously and just have fun, which I personally took to heart. This film was reviewed by Nick and Adriano as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.

THE ACCOUNTANT 2 Starring: Ben Affleck, Jon Bernthal, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Daniella Pineda, Allison Robertson, Robert Morgan, Grant Harvey, Andrew Howard, and J.K. Simmons Director: Gavin O’Connor QUENTIN While The Accountant 2 might be one of the most unexpected, never-asked-for sequels to come along in recent memory, I can’t deny that it’s a fun time at the movies. Sure, the story is messy and convoluted, but I’d watch Ben Affleck and (especially) Jon Bernthal’s Rain Man Assassin schtick for 10 more movies. Their chemistry is 90 percent of the reason this movie works, with the extra 10 percent going to director Gavin O’Connor for the explosive action beats and writer Bill Dubuque for the surprising amount of hilarity. I’m not sure if it’s “better” than the first one, but it’s certainly more entertaining. ADRIANO Confession time: I don't understand the infatuation with The Accountant . It never engaged me, nor did I find it very fun. So with The Accountant 2 , there is a surprising improvement, in that I found it to be a very fun mess. The movie takes itself much less seriously, which makes way for genuine enjoyment. Jon Bernthal's amazing performance also helps. Unfortunately, it couldn't pick a tone to save its life, never finding a proper balance between familial drama and wacky comedy, plus pretty irresponsible portrayals of human trafficking. It's still not very good, but it's more entertaining, I suppose. BODE I didn’t think much of The Accountant , but given how successful it was, I wasn’t totally surprised we got a sequel. I’m more surprised that The Accountant 2 is better than it really should be. Despite its uneven tonal shifts, the tastelessness of its human trafficking subplot, and doubling-down on its Hollywood treatment of autism, it all manages to go down easy since it doesn’t take itself seriously, the action is clean, there’s charm in Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal’s back-and-forth, and there’s refreshing empathy for those with ASD. It’s a mess, but a decently entertaining one.

SILENT NIGHT Starring: Joel Kinnaman, Scott Mescudi, Harold Torres, and Catalina Sandino Moreno Director: John Woo NICK Upon exiting the screening for Silent Night , it was evident my reaction was more negative than my colleagues, because I hated this film. Save for the impressive shots from director John Woo (which I can count on one hand) and a committed showing from Joel Kinnaman, this thing just has no teeth. The action sequences are lackluster, the story feels more like a parody than an actual plot, and there are some baffling directorial and script decisions. I can’t even credit any creative risks taken or innovative action set pieces because there are none. Silent Night is a misfire on all counts. AMARÚ Joel Kinnaman is such an underrated actor, and he is the only thing keeping Silent Night from being nothing more than one long training montage followed by a straight-to-TV, B-movie parody. His gritty performance carries the proper weight to balance director John Woo’s pulp excess, and it creates surprisingly effective early emotional beats. That should’ve allowed the film’s over-the-top violence to feel earned, but it couldn’t save the subsequent devolution into laughably bad CGI, story, and stunts. I never thought I would say this, but it’s the action that sinks this legendary director’s first film in six years. ADRIANO I'm a massive fan of legendary director John Woo, which makes it especially disheartening to say that his latest action film, Silent Night , is a big disappointment. While the action is pretty cool, and there are enough awesome shots throughout the film to enjoy, it takes way too long to get to those enjoyable parts. Most of the film is dedicated to uninteresting melodrama and establishing the (mostly) no dialogue gimmick that it doesn't even fully commit to. In the end, Silent Night is an overall fun enough experience, though not a great one.

PROJECT HAIL MARY Starring: Ryan Gosling, Sandra Hüller, Lionel Boyce, Ken Leung, Milana Vayntrub, and James Ortiz Directors: Phil Lord and Christopher Miller NICK Despite some tonally misleading promotional material, Project Hail Mary is a terrific family adventure film. Ryan Gosling is perfect as Ryland Grace as he brings his undeniable likability and humour to the role, while Drew Goddard has written a tight script (his second Andy Weir adaptation following The Martian ) for him to work with. It all comes together with great direction from Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, and most importantly, Greig Fraser's cinematography which is so impressive that I was visibly moved by its beauty. I may not have found this to be the masterpiece some are claiming, but it’s still a damn good film. ADRIANO It’s March, and 2026 already has an incredible blockbuster. Although Project Hail Mary leans heavily into a man-and-his-pet narrative much more comically than I expected, all my worries about it were quickly washed away. The friendship at the centre is heartwarming, and it gives the breathtaking back half another layer of power. The movie’s visuals are magnificent; but more than anything, this is a gripping character story of a lonely man finding his worth, and Ryan Gosling is more than up to the task with an incredible performance. Find an IMAX screen. Watch Project Hail Mary. It’s simply amazing. AMARÚ Telling Project Hail Mary ’s fractured narrative through Dr. Ryland Grace’s (Ryan Gosling) perspective allows for two very successful outcomes: the discovery of both present and past’s mysteries being as energetic and exciting as if we were on the titular ship, and the release of a crowd-pleasing blockbuster not seen since the action/sci-fi heyday of the 1990s. Directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s energetic hope and visual flare combined with the film’s inspiring messaging about connection evoke the vibes of that decade’s family-friendly, feel-good epics. So, even though it relied on streaming-worthy explanations and leaps of suspended belief, my smile grew wider with every passing hour. PAIGE Hail Mary, full of grace! Project Hail Mary is truly a spiritual event that delivers all the feels. I promise you’ll laugh, cry, and cheer throughout. It embraces the inventiveness and resilience human beings are capable of, which makes the film not only heartfelt, but also inspiring. Ryan Gosling’s charisma anchors this film with emotional layers and while he’s certainly the rock of the story, Rocky (James Ortiz) is the heart of the film. With awe-inspiring visuals and an uplifting script, this film delivers a joyful experience that will leave you reaching for the stars. BODE Project Hail Mary finds directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller alongside screenwriter Drew Goddard (adapting another Andy Weir novel following The Martian ) bringing their brands of irreverent humour and earnest heart inside a hard sci-fi blockbuster. While I was undeniably charmed by its human-alien buddy setup, and often awed by Greig Fraser’s stunning cinematography, a baggy runtime and structural inconsistency hold Hail Mary back from being as fully great as it could’ve been. Still, even if it’s not the best space movie starring Ryan Gosling (that would be First Man ), it’s entertaining enough to settle for 2nd place in my books. ROBERT Every so often, a movie comes along to remind the greater masses of the magic of cinema, and presently, that honor belongs to Project Hail Mary . The overlaying structure of the unfolding mission, along with Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) slowly remembering how he ended up on the spaceship, shows the dichotomy of the joy and pain of discovery beautifully. It is effortless in its humor, its earnestness, and its wonder while the stakes are ever-present. To make me laugh and cry so fully at a puppet shaped like a rock is the kind of charm to which I always want to be exposed. KATIE Project Hail Mary is a solid, crowd-pleasing family sci-fi adventure film, but I found its cheesiness and relentless witty banter testing. The film is held together by Ryan Gosling’s effortless charm, warm humour, and ability to convincingly deliver silly dialogue, yet I found it went on for too long, which is especially apparent in the last 20 minutes or so when the film strains to prove its happy resolutions. The visuals are fantastic, and the craftsmanship is impressive, but I wish it employed more visual storytelling, since the flashbacks to Earth are often more engaging than the scenes in space. Want to hear even more of our thoughts? Nick, Amarú, and guest Nathaniel Ahart join Matt to take A Bigger Bite out of Project Hail Mary HERE .

HARD HAT RIOT Director: Marc Levin QUENTIN As far as documentaries go, Hard Hat Riot is about as dry as they come, which shouldn’t be surprising considering it was produced for PBS. That doesn’t mean it isn’t worth a watch, especially if you’re interested in how the United States has come to find itself in its current cultural and political divide, but Riot is far more educational than entertainment. There are no flashy interview subjects, just old guys in a room and plenty of archival footage. That said, the parallels to what is happening today, as well as the insight into the redefinition of American politics, are fascinating. KATIE Hard Hat Riot offers informative and impactful insight into an American historical event that I had no knowledge of beforehand, but thoroughly enjoyed learning about over the course of the documentary. Through interviews with individuals who experienced the event, as well as the political climate that led to it, it shows points of view that are authentic and grounded, and normally wouldn't reach a wider audience. Although it doesn’t explicitly make the comparison, it highlights the worrying similarities in our current political landscape and how voters can be manipulated and turned against one another.

TROUBLE MAN Starring: Michael Jai White, Cliff "Method Man" Smith, Gillian White, Noah Fleder, Theodore Park, Levy Tran, Alani “La La” Anthony, Mike Epps, and Orlando Jones Director: Michael Jai White KATIE I had a lot of fun with Trouble Man . The martial-arts combat is well-choreographed, sometimes wacky, and very engaging. I appreciated the blaxploitation influence, and the script is very self-aware and funny. Michael Jai White, a very likeable screen presence, is fantastic in the lead role, bringing boundless smooth charm and impressive physical capabilities. Method Man is also hilarious and perfect alongside his character. It’s difficult to overlook the terrible CGI in the final act and other constraints of the low budget, but I was thoroughly entertained, enjoyed the action, and laughed out loud a lot. QUENTIN Director and star Michael Jai White delivers an instant cult classic with Trouble Man ; a self-aware, blaxploitation, B-movie homage set in modern-day Atlanta that works as a spiritual sequel to Black Dynamite . And when I say B-movie, that’s with the most capital of Bs. There are shoddy effects, cheap sets, choppy edits, and genre- and era- specific shot framing, all of which is done intentionally and with love. However, that is juxtaposed with legitimately well-done martial-arts choreography, hilarious one-liners that made me laugh out loud, and White’s authentic charm and charisma. If movies like this were all White ever did, I’d watch every damn one.

THE LIFE AND DEATHS OF CHRISTOPHER LEE Starring: Peter Serafinowicz, Peter Jackson, John Landis, Joe Dante, Jonathan Rigby, and Christopher Lee Director: Jon Spira This film has been reviewed by Paige and Nick as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of Fantastic Fest 2024. NICK Posthumous documentaries happen all the time, but rarely are they narrated by the deceased person in question. That's exactly what The Life and Deaths of Christopher Lee attempts, thanks to a spot on impression from Peter Serafinowicz. The "Lee-told” story is engrossing in its own right, and the creative flourishes used throughout never detract from that. Instead, they enhance everything, as do the interview subjects. Everyone from Peter Jackson to John Landis (a highlight) discuss a personal relationship with Lee that far exceeded their professional ones. Everything comes together wonderfully to not only pay tribute, but immortalize the legacy of Christopher Lee. PAIGE The Life and Deaths of Christopher Lee is a surprisingly engaging and insightful telling of the late actor’s fascinating life. The documentary uses a range of creative storytelling techniques to make it stand out from your average talking head documentary. Its use of whimsical animation, puppetry, and archival footage to show us glimpses of each area of his life and movie career are quite fun and unique. All in all, I took a lot away from this story, and grew a deeper appreciation for Christopher Lee’s legacy.

THE PROMISED LAND Starring: Mads Mikkelsen, Amanda Collin, Simon Bennebjerg, Melina Hagberg, Kristine Kujath Thorp, Gustav Lindh, Thomas W. Gabrielsson, Magnus Krepper, Søren Malling, and Olaf Højgaard Director: Nikolaj Arcel QUENTIN Let me tell you how good of an actor Mads Mikkelsen is: For more than two hours, this man had me fully engaged in a Danish-language, period-piece epic about a guy trying to grow potatoes on a piece of land deemed unfarmable. Granted, the sturdy screenplay, sweeping visuals, and Nikolaj Arcel’s confident direction help him along, but I’m not sure this movie succeeds with anyone other than Mikkelsen at the center of it. This is a grown-up film for grown-ups, reminiscent of Minari in some ways, and it feels tailor-made for the prestigious film festival circuit. CALEB There’s an artificiality to The Promised Land that’s hard to ignore. If this is a “man against nature” story, then where’s the rawness? Where’s the grime? Sure, the cinematography is beautiful, but this isn’t really a story that calls for that level of polish. The script isn’t awful, but I felt like I was always ten steps ahead of it. Despite great performances from Mads Mikkelsen and Simon Bennebjerg, the characters and their emotional beats were just too predictable to hold my attention. The Promised Land isn’t a bad movie, but it’s too safe to leave a lasting impression. This film was reviewed by Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2023 Venice International Film Festival.

THE TOXIC AVENGER Starring: Peter Dinklage, Jacob Tremblay, Taylour Paige, Julia Davis, Luisa Guerreiro, Annette Badland, Elijah Wood, Sarah Niles, Jonny Coyne, and Kevin Bacon Director: Macon Blair NICK The 1984 film The Toxic Avenger is unabashedly a B-movie featuring grimy quality, cartoon violence, and over-the-top ridiculousness. Although it has a higher budget and production value, the 2025 iteration maintains a lot of these values. The film is filled with visual gags, gore, and a self-awareness of exactly what we’re watching. It’s intentionally goofy (there’s a villain who literally does flips every time he makes an entrance) and Peter Dinklage makes for a great Toxie. Look, it’s a B-movie version of a Deadpool-style superhero film. It’s fun and, more importantly, it honours the original. ROBERT When something is in limbo for two years, it builds anticipation and props itself up to be must-see, when and if it ever gets released. Without much context of Troma Entertainment and The Toxic Avenger from the 1980s, I didn’t know what to expect from this new iteration. Fortunately, I set myself up to be mesmerized, which I was throughout, because the film never stops being its vulgar, crass, and unceasingly hilarious self. The sight gags, the long-running comedy bits, and the nonchalant reaction to mutation and violence set a blissful tone of alternative superhero lore that generates effortless smiles. Toxie (Peter Dinklage) is a damn folk legend. QUENTIN This remake of The Toxic Avenger is a loving homage and tribute to Troma Entertainment and weird 80s B-movies (including the original The Toxic Avenger , obviously) much in the way that Black Dynamite is a love letter to blaxploitation movies of the 70s. It features all the hallmarks of the era’s cult classics: hilarious absurdity, buckets of blood and gore, a terrifically warped charm, and unparalleled self-awareness. The entire cast, but especially Kevin Bacon and Elijah Wood, know exactly what kind of movie they are making, and if director Macon Blair can maintain this level of commitment in potential sequels, I’ll watch every goofy-ass chapter.