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HEIST 88 Starring: Courtney B. Vance, Nican Robinson, Bentley Green, Xavier Clyde, Precious Way, Keith David, and Keesha Sharp Director: Menhaj Huda AMARÚ With a great lead, an interesting story, and a heist to pull off, your film should be close to impossible to fumble. However, as suave and talented as Courtney B. Vance is, there isn’t enough cool to cover Heist 88 ’s amateur nature. It looks and sounds like a straight-to-video MTV production (which, incidentally, it is). Bad editing, cringeworthy dialogue, and noticeable ADR voice overs stain the few instances when the cast attempts to elevate what they’re given. But when they mess up Nican ROBINSON’s name in the opening credits, the clear lack of budget and oversight sadly make this a really hard watch. QUENTIN Even for a person who is incredibly generous when it comes to heist movies, not to mention a fan of Courtney B. Vance, Heist 88 is a complete misfire on nearly every level. I mean, this thing feels like a half-hearted television pilot for network TV that wasn’t picked up, so director Menhaj Huda figured he’d just do reshoots to make it an 84-minute movie, salvaging his time and effort. It looks incredibly cheap, the editing is clunky, and dialogue is rough. Try as he might…and he definitely tries…Vance can’t save this outright disaster.

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.

FAIR PLAY Starring: Phoebe Dynevor, Alden Ehrenreich, and Eddie Marsan Director: Chloe Domont NICK At the start, Fair Play is an erotic thriller that is neither erotic nor thrilling. As it goes through the motions in its early going, I settled in for what I assumed would be a standard workplace-relationship power struggle, akin to a spur-of-the-moment Blockbuster rental. Then, everything changes. The story evolves into something with more teeth, and the highly praised Alden Ehrenreich performance I’d heard about kicks into gear. I wish it had gotten there sooner, but Fair Play pays off with heaps of tension and great lead showings, particularly from the underrated Ehrenreich. ADRIANO I found myself really loving Fair Play , something I did not expect to say before seeing it. It starts as an erotic thriller, which I had mixed feelings about, but the psycho-sensual tension between Alden Ehrenreich and Phoebe Dynevor kept me on my toes. As the film goes on, however, it makes a 180 and begins to really captivate as it viciously examines domestic and gender dynamics in the workplace. And Ehrenreich, in particular, really gets to shine. Fair Play went places I had no idea it was gonna go, and it made the movie for me. QUENTIN Fair Play is a modern-day twist on 90s erotic thrillers like Disclosure and the works of Paul Verhoeven and Adrian Lyne. However, with a woman, Chloe Domont, behind the script and camera, it puts a fresh spin on gender dynamics and workplace relationships. Both Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich are terrific, but Ehrenreich gives a career-best performance as he slowly gives way to his bitterness, jealousy, and inadequacy. Admittedly, the financial jargon threatens to derail the viewer’s interest at times, but it’s generally in service to the story, so it never becomes less than engaging. It’s a great debut for Domont, and a win for Netflix. AMARÚ With Chloe Domont’s intense direction and a pulsating score accentuated by New York’s bustling ambiance, Fair Play is the right amount of unnerving during Alden Ehrenreich and Phoebe Dynevor’s dark and seedy journey through the film. With a heavy focus on both their personal and professional relationship, it runs the risk of disengaging the audience if you can’t connect with the two leads, but both Ehrenreich and Dynevor play their shifting power dynamics to an uncomfortably entertaining tee, creating enough heart-racing moments to make up for the drudge of jargon-heavy, financial sector work scenes that weigh down the script. PAIGE Fair Play is a cut-throat psychological drama that’s captivating from beginning to end. It plays extremely well with power and gender dynamics both in the workplace and in relationships. The battle-of-the-sexes jealousy and rage unravels so flawlessly throughout, creating plenty of juicy and tender moments of tension. I loved how the intensity never stops building between the lead couple (Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich) who, in my opinion, both deliver some of the best performances of the year. This is a must watch on Netflix, and a big win for first time writer/director Chloe Domont! PRESTON Fair Play masterfully wields surprising uneasiness as a tool for building suspense right from the beginning, then never lets off the gas. The film is mercifully original, with its narrative featuring modern-day gender politics, feminism, ambition, family relationship dynamics, and a complicated dichotomous male psyche that dangerously vacillates between chivalry and chauvinism. It is a nuanced approach that sets itself apart from its finger-wagging contemporaries by recognizing the gray space in which the world operates. Phoebe Dynevor, Alden Ehrenreich, and Eddie Marsan aid director Chloe Domont in turning in one of the better Netflix original thrillers I have seen. This film was reviewed by Nick and Adriano as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.

DESPICABLE ME 4 Starring: Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Pierre Coffin, Joey King, Miranda Cosgrove, Stephen Colbert, Sofía Vergara, Steve Coogan, Chris Renaud, Madison Polan, Dana Gaier, Chloe Fineman, and Will Ferrell Director: Chris Renaud AMARÚ Despicable Me 4 has some of the best animation Illumination Studios has released to date. After that, it’s the silliness you’d expect: Minions, memes, and lots of bodily function jokes. Gru’s (Steve Carell) three kids (now four) are still adorable, and the Minions are still fun mayhem, but this is the first time a franchise entry has felt more like an amalgamation of a bunch of TV episodes than a movie. Towards the end, one plotline takes center stage, allowing the film’s heart to shine a bit more, but make no mistake…this is a fourth-time diluted version of a just-ok animated series. ADRIANO Despicable Me 4 is another Despicable Me movie. Take that as you will. If you liked the other three, you'll be into this one. Me? I enjoy it as a shut-your-brain-off kind of movie, well aware that it's made for literal babies. It's got some funny slapstick and heart, but most of the jokes are pretty obvious. Plot-wise, for a 90-minute movie, there is a wild amount of time fodder and non-sequiturs that amount to not much. Kids are gonna fall in love, and adults won't hate it, but they won't think anything of it either.

NO WAY UP Starring: Colm Meaney, Jeremias Amoore, Sophie McIntosh, Phyllis Logan, Grace Nettle, James Carroll Jordan, and Manuel Pacific Director: Claudio Fäh QUENTIN Even as direct-to-digital, shark-themed, B-movies go, No Way Up is dead in the water. Usually, a movie like this can generate enough goodwill to be passable with its low-budget thrills and laughably schlocky death sequences, but those are nowhere to be found here. However, what you will find includes some pretty atrocious acting and a surprising lack of shark mayhem. If that interests you, No Way Up has that in spades. Otherwise, you’re better off watching the relative masterpieces that are Snakes on a Plane , 47 Meters Down , Sharknado , or God forbid, Deep Blue Sea . KATIE No Way Up is far too dull for a premise this wacky. I don’t mind underdeveloped characters, shonky effects, or a nonsensical plot if the film indulges in absurdity and the “so bad it’s good” vibe that many other shark attack films do, but No Way Up does not deliver as many B-Movie thrills as it should have. All of the danger and action are secondary to the strained dialogue between the characters, and there is no sense of suspense, so it didn’t fulfill even my most basic expectations. This is pretty underwhelming even for fans of B-movies.

OPUS Starring: Ayo Edebiri, John Malkovich, Juliette Lewis, Murray Bartlett, Melissa Chambers, Stephanie Suganami, Peter Diseth, Mark Sivertsen, Amber Midthunder, Tamera Tomakili and Tony Hale Director: Mark Anthony Green NICK I'll be honest, I was into the beginning of Opus and its intriguing set up, like a differently toned Midsommar . Then, after the first reveal, I gradually became less and less interested as the film went on. For a feature reliant so heavily on story, this one doesn't have the performances nor the twists and turns to make up for its shortcomings, something the film has plenty of, sadly. Even with the admittedly good final scene, it's unearned, as everything I had just watched before it diminished my interest in its intentions. A good half hour isn’t much in a 104-minute film. ADRIANO In a sea of horror/suspense-type genre films that tackle social issues, Opus stands out as quite awful. It feels like writer/director Mark Anthony Green saw The Menu and said, "I wanna do that." The ensemble is serviceable, although John Malkovich was severely miscast, and the movie takes nearly 90 minutes to set up, only for it to inevitably resort to mindless violence in the name of “satire.” The ending is a little interesting, but it made me wonder, “where was that the whole movie?" For a horror satire, it has nothing to say in the grand scheme of things. PAIGE Opus is an enticing comedic mystery thriller that makes up for its lacking plot with its crazed energy. The thin script certainly has plot holes, but at least Ayo Edibiri and John Malkovich do the best they can with the material. She’s a fantastic final girl, and Malkovich kills it as an eccentric 90s musician. Plus, the original pop music composed for the movie is superb. Ultimately, I dug what I saw, though there’s no denying that the movie struggles to have its voice heard due to its half-baked ideas. BRYAN Ayo Edebiri continues to prove herself as one of the most talented people of her generation, by carrying Opus on her back from start to finish. What started with so much promise in the opening minutes quickly fades into a lesser variation of the cult horrors that have made their mark this past decade, feeling like an AI-generated amalgamation of films that have tackled its subject matter in better ways. While some of the thrills, as well as John Malkovich’s performance, did crawl under my skin, there is not much to latch onto with Opus . What a major disappointment.

THE INSTIGATORS Starring: Matt Damon, Casey Affleck, Hong Chau, Ving Rhames, Ron Perlman, Toby Jones, Michael Stuhlbarg, Alfred Molina, Paul Walter Hauser, and Jack Harlow Director: Doug Liman AMARÚ One of my favorite movie genres is stacked ensembles coming together to have tons of fun, and The Instigators is Ocean’s Eleven -level entertainment, with alums Matt Damon and Casey Affleck leading this comedy of criminal errors. Director Doug Liman reaffirms his ability to create great action movies with just the right amount of heart as he throws us straight into the fray with a breakneck pace, an intelligently quippy script, and irreverent yet genuine performances, especially from Damon. I couldn’t keep the smile off my face during this hilarious, rip-roaring heist-gone-wrong-in-all-the-right-ways. NICK Some of the best team-ups in film come from characters who find themselves working together due to happenstance, and The Instigators is yet another example. Led by Matt Damon and Casey Affleck, the pair's dynamic is what makes this film work as well as it does. With both being alumni of the Ocean's franchise, they channel that energy for an entertaining heist film filled with quippy dialogue and a collection of colourful side characters. After some questionable decisions in his recent work, it's nice to see director Doug Liman tackle a film like this. It’s a solid match. QUENTIN It seems most comedies nowadays have become straight-to-streaming fare that are reminiscent of the entertaining-but-forgotten comedies of my 90s youth, like Money Train , Nothing to Lose , and Bulletproof . The type of come-and-go movie I loved at 15-years-old, but probably has no real legacy outside of those who experienced it as an indiscriminate teenager. The Instigators is further evidence of that notion. Despite delivering some light laughs, solid odd-couple banter, inoffensive action, and a collection of random stars in bit parts, it probably won’t register very long for anyone outside of modern-day adolescents who will eventually have rose-colored, “The Instigators ? I loved that movie!” nostalgia for it. PAIGE Although The Instigators is an entertaining on-the-run movie, Doug Liman's blue-collar heist film is just another typical action comedy. Don't get me wrong, the material is elevated by the sardonic wit and dialogue, as well as the charming Boston accents from Casey Affleck and Matt Damon, but, overall, the genre isn't expanded upon. Plus, the plot is a little wonky at times. Though there is some fun to be had with this flick, and it was nice to see the accurate depiction of Massachusetts driving, just don’t expect the next great Boston crime film.

CARNAGE FOR CHRISTMAS Starring: Jeremy Moineau, Chris Asimos, Dominique Booth, Lewi Dawson, Olivia Deeble, Lisa Fanto, Molly Ferguson, Patty Glavieux, and Betsey Brown Director: Alice Maio Mackay This film has been reviewed by Paige and Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2024 Fantasia International Film Festival. QUENTIN Given that this is an uber micro-budgeted film from a 19-year-old director that somehow has six features under her belt, I suppose I’ll give Carnage for Christmas an “A for effort.” That said, this thing is bad, man. It’s like a student film you’d find on YouTube. The acting is really rough, some of the visual flourishes are incredibly cheesy, the acceptance messaging is over-the-top preachy, and, honestly, it’s barely even a Christmas horror movie. Other than a Santa suit, this movie could have taken place in July without much changing. At only 70 minutes, this felt much longer and tremendously lacking. PAIGE Alice Maio Mackay’s queer, Santa-slashing, mystery movie Carnage for Christmas lacks the traditional horror and holiday spirit it is going for. This amateurish, low-budget film truly feels like an R-rated, wannabe Nancy Drew knockoff built on lifeless performances and cringe worthy dialogue. The film's visually distinct, almost overexposed, aesthetic is another flaw on top of the 70-minute runtime that is surprisingly sluggish. I hate to say it, but with all things considered, this movie deserves to be on the naughty list for how bad it is.

TOP GUN: MAVERICK Starring: Tom Cruise, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Glen Powell, Lewis Pullman, Monica Barbaro, Bashir Salahuddin, Charles Parnell, Ed Harris, and Val Kilmer Director: Joseph Kosinski NICK As someone with no particular connection to the original Top Gun , I was curious if Maverick would be for me. Boy, was it! This film is solid from top to bottom. The aerial scenes are exceptional, the new crop of pilots blend together well, and the emotional beats are such that they don’t require an attachment to the original film. This is both a tribute to its predecessor and a film that improves on it in every way. Also, props to Tom Cruise for still finding a way to have multiple running scenes in a film about flying. Never change. QUENTIN After seeing a few early reactions call it “the perfect blockbuster,” I was growing concerned that Top Gun: Maverick was getting overhyped, and while I wouldn’t go as far as to call it “perfect,” there isn’t much to hate about it either. It boasts phenomenal aerial sequences, a story that is surprisingly organic, a decent amount of humor, and even a few strong emotional beats. One could definitely nitpick a few things (like why do we need Jennifer Connelly’s character?), but it’s best if you just find the biggest screen possible, sit back, and let your need for speed be satisfied in thrilling fashion. PAIGE Grab your popcorn and hold on tight because Top Gun: Maverick soars! It’s not just the best legacy sequel ever, it's even better than the original with no one flying on autopilot. It’s a fantastic follow-up, and one that delivers the most extraordinary aerial sequences I’ve ever seen. It’s also filled with tons of nostalgic moments harking back to the 1986 classic, and let's be real, I’d be Tom Cruise’s wingman anytime because I’ve got the need… the need for speed after watching this film! JACOB Top Gun: Maverick is the kind of movie that movie theaters were made for. A perfect summer sequel, the likes of which just don’t get made anymore, that is not simply an appropriate tribute to its late-80s source material, but an elevation of it in almost every form. While it may be one set-piece short of calling itself action-packed , there’s no shortage of thrills delivered by the action we’re given. The aerial sequences are perhaps the best ever put to film, and within all of it, the heart is never once lost. The original’s director, Tony Scott, would be exceedingly proud. ADRIANO Top Gun: Maverick is incredible. As someone who doesn’t like the original film, this sequel greatly improves on it in just about every possible way. For one, this movie actually has a plot that is engaging and easy to follow. While the film does have moments of nostalgia, it isn’t reliant on them to tell its story. It’s also more character focused and has more emotional depth than I would’ve guessed, while the flight sequences are jaw-dropping. I couldn’t tell what was CGI and what was practical, but either way, I was impressed. An excellent summer blockbuster that requires the biggest screen imaginable.

THE OUT-LAWS Starring: Adam DeVine, Nina Dobrev, Ellen Barkin, Pierce Brosnan, Poorna Jagannathan, Richard Kind, Julie Hagerty, Lil Rel Howery, and Michael Rooker Director: Tyler Spindel QUENTIN While there are enough amusing one-liners, roguish Pierce Brosnan charm, and light heist elements to keep The Out-Laws mildly entertaining, it’s nothing more than another forgettable Netflix Original. For better or worse, it feels so much like a typical Kevin Hart comedy (buttoned-up, always-plays-it-safe nice guy is forced to do something dangerous) that I wouldn’t be surprised if he was offered it before Adam DeVine. Except, as tiring as Hart’s schtick has become playing this same type of character again and again, DeVine just doesn’t pull it off quite as well. Still, there are worse things to have on in the background while folding laundry. NICK You'd be justified in not expecting much from a Happy Madison Netflix film, but as this one is filled with actors I've always liked (Pierce Brosnan, Michael Rooker, Lil Rel Howery), I had hopes it would turn out okay. I was mistaken. Adam DeVine's schtick has never really worked for me, so that didn't help matters, but the main issue is that the script (the dialogue specifically) just isn't very funny. The general plot and talent involved brought potential, but both are wasted, sadly. What could have been a fun comedy becomes another inoffensive and forgettable Netflix entry that is destined to become background noise.

AFTER YANG Starring: Colin Farrell, Jodie Turner-Smith, Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja, Justin H. Min Director: Kogonada JAMES I can find no aspect of this movie to be lacking. After Yang is that rarest of sci-fi films that manages to be technically masterful, beautiful to look at, creatively edited, haunting in its performances, and profound in its themes. It's also approachable to anyone outside of sci-fi. If you've known the pain of unexpectedly losing a loved one, you will find this movie deeply relatable and uplifting. Fans of Blade Runner and Ex Machina will be right at home in this heartfelt new take on the classic theme of artificial intelligence. Director Kogonada is, quite simply, a genius. JACOB The most impressive thing about director Kogonada’s After Yang is its world-building, which is seamlessly blended into the background without ever pushing unbelievability. The story itself is, unfortunately, a little too simple to have the impact it seems to desire, though. There is definitely an intimate emotionality running through the film’s undercurrent, but it may be too subtle for those not already enamored with minimalist sci-fi. The final 30 minutes of the film are a whopper though, so it does have that going for it. The performances are uniformly excellent too. This seems destined to be one of 2022’s most underrated efforts. ADRIANO There are definitely things in After Yang to admire, but sadly, a lot of it doesn’t work. The cast and cinematography are both really good, but the latter has some odd shifts in its aspect ratio that I found odd even if it's still beautiful to look at. The film is a very calm meditation on the soul, but it moves too slowly and has a little too much ambition to completely achieve what it’s trying to do. That said, it definitely hit me in the feels by the end, even if the journey to get there wasn’t satisfying.

MARRY ME Starring: Jennifer Lopez, Owen Wilson, Maluma, John Bradley, Chloe Coleman, and Sarah Silverman Director: Kat Coiro ADRIANO Marry Me is definitely not the worst rom-com starring Jennifer Lopez that I’ve seen. Actually, Lopez and Owen Wilson do a stellar job. The chemistry they have with each other genuinely made me smile. Unfortunately, the movie crumbles under a lot of bad rom-com trappings. It’s absurdly predictable, and everything that I thought would happen happened exactly as I thought it would. Maybe I could forgive that if it was funny, but for the life of me, I can’t remember a single time I laughed. I didn’t despise this movie, but I definitely didn’t enjoy it. JOSEPH Wow, I was so pleasantly surprised with Marry Me . Going in, it seems like it’s going to be a sort of generic and predictable film, and in many ways it is, but there’s something fresh about it. Don’t get me wrong, the film is still tropey and a little dumb at times, but it’s just pure joy to watch. There’s a surprising level of chemistry between Owen Wilson and Jennifer Lopez, while Sarah Silverman offers some good humor. Marry Me is a smile-inducing, fun time.