BAD HAIRCUT Starring: Frankie Ray, Spencer Harrison Levin, Beau Minniear, Nora Freetly, R.J. Beaubrun, and Martin Klebba Director: Kyle Misak This film has been reviewed by Quentin and Nick as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of Fantastic Fest 2025. QUENTIN Like many horror comedies, Bad Haircut has some trouble finding the right blend of the two genres. There are moments that should be filled with dread, but since the film leans a little too hard toward silliness in parts, that tension never truly manifests. That said, Frankie Ray — channeling Jack Sparrow, Buffalo Bill, and Iggy Pop as the tragically off-his-rocker barber Mick — gives a performance so magnetic that most perceived flaws fade away. The movie around Ray may not always work to perfection, but Mick is so damn electric and compelling that he could drive the next cult franchise, a la Art the Clown in Terrifier . NICK There's something oddly enchanting about Frankie Ray's Mick in Bad Haircut . He's got the looks of Iggy Pop, the mannerisms of Steven Tyler, and the psychosis of Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker. He’s quite the enigma, and you can't really take your eyes off him. Beyond his performance, is this film anything special? Not really. The rest of the cast turns the silliness up to contrast Mick, and it’s visually fairly unimpressive. But that lead performance? Much like Elvis Nolasco as Mr. Crocket in last year's festival, that will stick with me. I’d welcome a return.

OH, HI Starring: Molly Gordon, Logan Lerman, Geraldine Viswanathan, John Reynolds, and David Cross Director: Sophie Brooks KATIE Oh, Hi! is a charming rom-com with a hilariously dark twist. Starting as a dreamy romance, it takes an unexpected turn that works a lot better than I expected. It doesn’t waste a minute of its tight 94-minute runtime, all of the jokes land, and it's consistently funny. Logan Lerman is great and effectively supports Molly Gordon’s hilarious and heartfelt performance, and the pair have convincing chemistry. One of my few criticisms, and it isn't the film’s fault, is that I wish I hadn’t watched the trailer, as it would be even better to be surprised by it. AMARÚ Oh, Hi! is exhibit-A that the current state of movie trailers needs to revert back to not giving away too much. Going in blind had me locked into this seemingly straightforward two-hander between Logan Lerman and Molly Gordon, waiting for what would happen next. Their chemistry is natural, and the comedy, while not always laugh-out-loud funny, highlights the leads’ likability. And when shit keeps unraveling, the strength of their understated charm makes the exaggerated relationship conflicts much more relatable. This film gets weird, and edges toward shark-jumping, but the comedy-of-errors keeps the story amusingly in check. NICK Don’t get me wrong, the crazy ex-girlfriend story can be a good watch, especially when the whole thing takes place in relative real time, but I wanted to have more fun with Oh, Hi! Although Molly Gordon gives a committed performance as Iris and is tasked with carrying the majority of the film, the humour didn’t match the absurdity of the situation. Admittedly, my opinion is skewed because I just watched a very similar film, albeit with a different tone, but the wacky vibe this thing was going for just wasn’t realized for me. This started strong but just couldn’t keep its momentum. BODE It seems cliché to call Oh, Hi! a rom-com riff on Misery , but co-writer/director Sophie Brooks invites the comparison at almost every turn, right down to Molly Gordon’s charmingly unhinged performance (which owes a bit to Kathy Bates, via her own admission). And though it tries to use that framework to comment on the contradictions of modern dating, the approach feels rather one-note, and strangely lacking in momentum. It has some moments of wit, and the cast is animated enough. Overall though, I get the feeling Oh, Hi! might’ve benefitted more as a short rather than a full-length feature.

SWAPPED Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Juno Temple, Cedric The Entertainer, Justina Machado, Nate Torrence, Camden Brooks, Táta Vega, Ambika Mod, Lolly Adefope, John Ratzenberger, and Tracy Morgan Director: Nathan Greno AMARÚ It took some getting used to voice-actor Michael B. Jordan, but like Swapped overall, his emotional resonance grew on me. The film clearly took its narrative beats from other animated classics (Finding Nemo, The Lion King, How to Train Your Dragon ), but it also smartly leans on its creative world. By using unique creature designs to push the story forward, it makes the heavily kid-friendly tone more interesting than it had any right to be. I can’t promise that all adults will enjoy this, but I’m pretty confident that parents won’t mind watching while their kids experience the beautiful messaging on the power of community and differences. ROBERT Mid-tier animation is so unworthy of critical consideration, and that goes double if it is a streaming film. For the first half of Swapped , I didn’t think you could get any blander: the animation, the story, the characters…it didn’t make any impact on me. Then there is a turn, and while it doesn’t redeem everything before it, it generates more intrigue and more heartfelt emotion as a piece of art, which is admirable. There’s a little The Fox and the Hound with A Bug’s Life and Fern Gully: The Last Rainforest mixed in, so you will recognize its beats anchored by moderate vocal performances.

REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES Starring: Sally Field, Lewis Pullman, Colm Meaney, Joan Chen, Kathy Baker, Beth Grant, Sofia Black-D’Elia, and Alfred Molina Director: Olivia Newman ROBERT When I heard there was a new film in which a legendary actor has a rewarding relationship with an aquatic animal, my mind went to Dolphin Tale , which was a benign family film. Remarkably Bright Creatures is anything but benign because it lures you in as an Odd Couple -like pairing with Sally Field and Lewis Pullman. They are different, but what they understand about each other and their layers of experienced vs. inherited grief can span generations, time, and even species. It is the right amount of dark to snatch your hope, but sweet and sincere enough to gift it back. Prepare to devolve into a puddle. KATIE Remarkably Bright Creatures is a heart-warming, slightly saccharine film that’s elevated by a moving performance by Sally Field. The cast is strong, but without Field, it would feel too sentimental. Her performance as Tova is full of genuine emotion and had me tearing up. Alfred Molina‘s voice-over as the octopus is great, but the film forgets about him at times, so he feels like an unnecessary component of the story until we’re reminded of him again. It’s a Sunday afternoon with a cup of tea kind of film, comfortably cozy and touching, but not hard-hitting.

PASSING Starring: Tessa Thompson, Ruth Negga, André Holland, Alexander Skarsgård, and Bill Camp Director: Rebecca Hall JACOB Rebecca Hall's directorial debut, Passing , has a fair amount going for it, though its intended commentaries on race, class, sexuality, etc. seem mostly relegated to the fringes of the script. It's almost as if Hall is afraid to approach the film's central themes too explicitly. There's a delicacy in her direction that feels timid rather than assured. Still, the movie does boast a trio of solid performances from Tessa Thompson, Ruth Negga, and André Holland in crisp black-and-white cinematography that is sure to be counted among the best of 2021. It's not perfect, but it's got it where it counts. QUENTIN Despite a rich and interesting premise, beautiful cinematography shot in crisp (and, for once, necessary) black and white, and stellar performances from both Ruth Negga and Tessa Thompson, Passing mostly feels like a missed opportunity. It doesn't seem too interested in exploring the obvious and more timely themes of race that stem from its setup, which is a shame. That said, Passing is still a quality film, but it could have been an important one if it had only gone a little deeper. I absolutely loved the classical timbre, cadence, and vocabulary of the dialogue, though.

PEARL Starring: Mia Goth, David Corenswet, Tandi Wright, Matthew Sunderland, and Emma Jenkins-Purro Director: Ti West QUENTIN While I thought Ti West’s X was a solid slasher, I didn’t think it was anything special, so I can’t say I was overly excited for Pearl , a prequel to X . Surprisingly, Pearl is actually the better of the two. West has essentially given X ’s villain a Joker -esque origin story that is tinted with The Wizard of Oz and Bates Motel . It definitely works, but Pearl has a completely different vibe than X ; just because you love one doesn’t mean you will love the other. Pearl is slower, but more nuanced. If X is a “slasher movie,” then Pearl is a “horror film.” ADRIANO I’m pretty sure I liked X more than Pearl , but even then, Pearl is still an amazing film in its own right. It feels like an entirely different film than its counterpart, as it ditches the sleazy, raunchy, slasher vibe for an old-timey, almost Wizard Of Oz -ish, character study with slasher elements. And Mia Goth, dear Lord - her performance is breathtaking. It’s rare that a performance makes me think “How did she do that?”; one part cartoonish southern accent, one part emerging psychopath, and Goth nails it. We can count Pearl as another win for A24 this year. NICK Similar to Toni Collette (Hereditary ) and Lupita Nyong’o (Us ) before her, Mia Goth gives one of the year’s best performances in a horror film that likely will go unheralded. Goth is given the chance to really flesh out the character first seen in X , and in turn, retroactively improves upon that film. This prequel may not be quite as good as its predecessor, but it trades the 70s horror vibes for an almost whimsical effort that shows director Ti West is no one trick pony. With the announcement of MaXXXine up next, West and Goth have the chance to close out an all-time horror trilogy. PAIGE Put Stephen King’s Carrie White in The Wizard Of Oz , and you end up with Pearl . My god, director Ti West has killed it again...no pun intended…because Pearl is just so fresh and stylish. It’s rare that a prequel does so much to enhance and enrich what came before it, but this film makes X even better. It also does a phenomenal job of humanizing a villain. Lastly, just wow…Mia Goth gives a mesmerizing, award-worthy performance that, when taken alongside her work in X , solidifies her as a modern day scream queen. Give me more of her now because I can’t wait for MaXXXine ! JACOB Pearl works less as an outright horror film than it does a showcase for Mia Goth, but that showcase is a ton of fun to watch. The second in Ti West’s newly-minted “X trilogy,” West once again makes movie magic by draping pornographic desire in The Wizard of Oz aesthetics and letting his star run wild. Mia Goth’s performance is outstanding, her third act monologue sure to go down as an all-time great, and likely to be used in audition rooms for generations to come. I still think X works slightly better overall, but this is a very worthy successor. This film was reviewed by Nick, Quentin, and Adriano as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival.

HE WENT THAT WAY Starring: Jacob Elordi and Zachary Quinto Director: Jeffrey Darling PAIGE Based on a true story, He Went That Way is a chic thriller set in the 1960s that has an interesting premise and strong start that gradually loses steam as it goes on. In addition, the script is so subpar that the only thing really keeping this film somewhat together are its leads, Jacob Elordi, Zachary Quinto, and the fake monkey, Spanky, trying their best to deliver decent performances. With that said, the movie never quite turns into the dark thriller that it was intended to be. In the end, the movie falls flat in delivering its captivating true narrative and becomes a dull road trip. CALEB He Went That Way is a colossal waste of time. I know that Jacob Elordi and Zachary Quinto are talented actors, but they’re both genuinely embarrassing in this. Someone must’ve called in some favors because this script should be way below either of their pay grades. The dialogue is atrocious, the characters are annoying as hell, and the pace is painfully slow. The film is decently shot, but that’s about the only praise I can give it. I guess the silly fake monkey was worth a laugh too, but I’m not sure I’d call that a positive.

SNOW WHITE Starring: Rachel Zegler, Gal Gadot, Andrew Burnap, and Ansu Kabia Director: Mark Webb NICK Going into Snow White , a big question on everyone's mind was how the seven dwarves would work. Well, believe it or not, they're the best part of this thing; funny, charming, and heartfelt. Does that mean the film is good? No, because whenever momentum gathers, Gal Gadot's Evil Queen returns to the screen. Her performance in this is so genuinely awful that it made me feel bad for enjoying earlier parts of the film. There are other supplemental pros and cons of the film, but it would be hard for anything to overcome what is just an all-time bad performance from Gadot. ADRIANO I'm tired of Disney live-action remakes, but I suppose I should be fair and say Snow White is bad, but not awful. It actually feels like it had a purpose to its adaptation beyond hoping audiences will clap at the stuff they remember, and the film is carried by the incredible star-power of Rachel Zegler. Gal Gadot's performance, on the other hand, ruins the momentum of all Zegler’s scenes. The film is visually flat, the CGI is bad, and it meanders much longer than it should. So, while it’s pretty bad, Snow White stands out as one of the less terrible entries of these terrible remakes. AMARÚ You can talk all day about acting, but no performance can help a bad concept that takes the classic Snow White and regurgitates it with uninspired direction, indiscernible editing, uncanny CGI, and worst of all, an unintelligible script. The woeful writing exacerbates Gal Gadot’s cringeworthy performance while aggressively attempting but ultimately failing to dampen Rachel Zegler’s star power. It also highlights Andrew Burnap’s valiant, yet unsuccessful, effort to break through all the crap. Even with its small flashes of competency, Snow White is a clear example of how this live-action remake crashes and burns without actual thought and care as to why it exists. BRYAN Far from being the worst of the Disney remakes, Snow White still doesn't capture the magic that the multi billion-dollar corporation once strived for. Rachel Zegler pours her heart and soul into bringing the titular character to life, while everything else surrounding her doesn’t do any favors. The cheap visuals, the unmemorable songs and the monumentally embarrassing Gal Gadot turn are a few of the things that make this fail to meet its potential. I know there’s a promising film to be found here, yet we received a rotten apple from the Mouse House once more.

FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER Starring: Tom Waits, Adam Driver, Mayim Bialik, Charlotte Rampling, Cate Blanchett, Vicky Krieps, Sarah Greene, Indya Moore, and Luka Sabbat Director: Jim Jarmusch QUENTIN Like most anthologies, the three chapters of Father Mother Sister Brother aren’t created equal. While they all boast great performances, the intrigue conjured is inconsistent given how they are placed in the film’s structure. For example, the second chapter is so much like the first that it’s repetitive. Variety between those two chapters would have worked wonders. There also are recurring references throughout the film that are there for no other reason than to create a Leo-pointing-meme moment. However, once the distinctly different third chapter ends, the movie’s lovely intent is revealed, which is when you realize this is about the destination, not the journey. ADRIANO It must be said that I have a mixed history with anthology films. With that in mind, I actually did find stuff to admire about Father Mother Sister Brother , even if its emotional pulls are fleeting. Each story is full of silent implications, giving us mere hints to piece together what's happening in each family dynamic, but the connections each story brings do come together in a surprising manner to examine three types of fractured family dynamics. But aside from maybe the last one, it’s too cold to leave the fierce impact that writer/director Jim Jarmusch wanted to bring. This film was reviewed by Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2025 Zurich Film Festival.

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - THE FINAL RECKONING Starring: Tom Cruise, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Hayley Atwell, Esai Morales, Pom Klementieff, Angela Bassett, Greg Tarzan Davis, Henry Czerny, and Shea Whigham Director: Christopher McQuarrie AMARÚ Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning is really two movies, one after another. The first is a montage fest that leans on nostalgia from one explanatory scene to the next, killing all emotional connection. But once a certain character walks in, Reckoning ’s actual story begins. From then on, it’s an exciting mix of nice call backs, emotional tidbits, funny moments, and most of all, edge-of-your-seat action set pieces that Tom Cruise, somehow, manages to make more intense, yet uniquely reminiscent, than anything the franchise has seen. Ultimately, though flawed, this love letter delivers a fitting sendoff for arguably the best franchise in movie history. ADRIANO If the mission was not to be let down by the (alleged) final outing of a great series, then it turns out this one was impossible. Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning's desire to beat you over the head with franchise continuity is eye-roll inducing and uncharacteristic. Hell, the first hour is practically a clip show. The plot paces itself terribly, feeling convoluted beyond repair. But I know what y'all are here for, and yeah, the set-pieces and death-defying stunts are remarkable, giving the movie colossal weight in the final hour and salvaging the experience, if not fully saving the movie's disappointment. NICK Considering what we get with Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning , this was probably the right time to end things. Some of the series’ trademarks (extreme exposition and death defying stunts) are either overdone or simply don’t hit the same. Yes, the airplane stunt from the poster is cool, but the story surrounding it is lacking; so much so that a significant portion of the film is just scenes from prior entries in the franchise. It’s still a Mission Impossible movie so it’s not bad, but compared to the rest of Ethan Hunt's (Tom Cruise) escapades, this franchise closer is more than a little disappointing. ROBERT I’m aware there is some disagreement on the nature of whether Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning will be the last of the series, but it didn’t set that standard of finality. Beyond an impossibly long runtime, it felt as if every loose thread and past MacGuffin had to tie into the greater story at large, including inflating the importance of a previous side character. The dialogue is so fast paced that it feels like 1.5x speed, the acting from tertiary characters is wooden, and the stunts, while impressive, are second-rate to those in prior, and superior, entries. I won’t choose to accept another entry like this. BODE There are many (needless) callbacks in Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning , yet I often thought of John Woo’s second entry the most. Both films have overstuffed plots, to the point where they feel incomprehensible. However, Woo’s wild formalism in II makes it easier to forgive. Christopher McQuarrie, the talented filmmaker he is, seems to struggle with this, which makes this film's flaws, which populate its disjointed first half, harder to accept. It eventually improves, with the second half providing some of the franchise’s highest highs (including the biplane setpiece), making it impossible to say I disliked this Mission . But I’m disappointed that I didn’t love it. QUENTIN If The Final Reckoning truly is the end for Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise), I have no problems with the call-backs and nostalgia baiting that occupy the first hour. It provides a lovely appropriate finality to the proceedings that, if there happens to be another entry, will be completely lost. Operating under the assumption that this is the final mission, however, I was fully on board. It’s action-packed (obviously), low-key funny, emotional, and an earnest love letter to everything that came before (especially the underrated third installment). It pulls from all previous entries, in both varied tones and admittedly forced continuity, working perfectly as a franchise capper. KATIE Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is a wonderfully fitting finale for the best action franchise out there. It stays true to everything I love about these movies, providing thrills, a fantastic cast with great chemistry, a nonsensical plot, and Tom Cruise pushing the limits with breathtaking and nail-biting set pieces. It’s blockbuster cinema at its finest, and there was not a second that I wasn't entertained, and although it's heavy on the references and callbacks, it's deservingly so. It's a perfect tribute that celebrates Ethan Hunt (Cruise) and his crew’s insane adventures over the past 30 years. Want to hear even more of our thoughts? Nick, Adriano, and guest Amanda Guarragi join Amarú to take A Bigger Bite out of Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning HERE .

HUMANE Starring: Jay Baruchel, Emily Hampshire, Sebastian Chacon, Alanna Bale, Enrico Colantoni, Peter Gallagher, Sirena Gulamgaus, and Uni Park Director: Caitlin Cronenberg KATIE Humane is the latest addition to the increasingly popular dystopian genre, focusing on the internal breakdown of a family facing the consequences of mandatory population control measures. It plays out like a thriller, where the Succession -esque siblings have to murder each other, but the way each actor leans into the stereotypes of champagne socialism and the detached attitudes of the mega-rich family is very funny. Whilst I was left wondering if the film communicated its satirical message as intended, Humane offers an original and darkly comedic film with plenty of laughs and bloody violence. QUENTIN The world-building in Humane , along with the first act, sets the stage for a tense (if unoriginal) stand-off between a collection of rich dysfunctional siblings forced to face their own awfulness. Sadly, once the second act hits, the story fizzles out, turning into nothing more than “which unlikeable (or worse, uninteresting) sibling will survive?” while general themes of “fuck the rich” and “don’t trust the government” play out. There is very little tension, nor are there any characters to root for, so you ultimately end up with just a bunch of noise…bloody noise, sure, which may be enough for some, but it’s still just noise. NICK Humane is the latest look at a panicked government's solution to population control. It starts off with an engaging family story (think The Fall of the House of Usher ), which locked me in for about 40 minutes or so. Sadly, that solid lead-up devolves into a generic bloody battle for survival that fails to bring both the tension and thrills that it desires. Yes, the film at least had the foresight to lean into some campier aspects, but it is undone by setting the stage early for something that would have been a much better film. PAIGE Humane is a horror satire with not much horror or satire. The movie plays out as more of a family drama than anything else, which isn’t entirely a bad thing, but when you have a Cronenberg in the director’s chair, you expect more. Rather than delving further into the themes it is attempting to convey, the movie unfolds as a bloodbath with this dysfunctional family racing around the house just wanting to kill each other. All in all, it's a middling film with a cool concept and a fun cast, but the overarching themes are underdeveloped and poorly executed.

THE BIKERIDERS Starring: Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, Damon Harriman, Mike Faist, Boyd Holbrook, Michael Shannon, Beau Knapp, Emory Cohen, Norman Reedus, Karl Glusman, and Toby Wallace Director: Jeff Nichols NICK Jeff Nichols is quietly one of the most consistent directors we have working today, and The Bikeriders continues that trend. The story - promoted around Tom Hardy's and Austin Butler's characters - really belongs to Jodie Comer's Kathy, who does a tremendous job telling it. That's not to take anything away from the men. Butler succeeds in yet another era-specific tale (I'm fine if I never see him in anything modern again), while it's nice to see Hardy back playing a real character. If you ignore the misleading promotion (this isn’t a violent, action-packed, gangster film), you’re likely to enjoy it much more. ADRIANO Going into The Bikeriders , I was told this was essentially “Goodfellas on bikes,” and while some elements do give this truth, it's too unfocused for it to be compared to that classic. While Jeff Nichols' direction is pretty great and the visual language of the film is striking, the acting does a lot of the heavy lifting, namely Tom Hardy (that said, Jodie Comer's accent is rough). The character writing is as paper-thin as can be, and the plotting is all over the place, lacking any thematic reason for me to care about anything. A pretty disappointing and forgettable experience, overall. AMARÚ The Bikeriders is unreservedly the Jodie Comer show. Some would say her coming out, but if you’ve followed her career, then you’ve seen this breakout performance on the horizon. She’s the driving force behind this engrossing and surprisingly funny movie about nothing in particular. Like most of these kinds of films, the conflicts don’t get too deep, and one event just happens after another, as is life. However, with Comer’s storytelling enhancing your connection to each character, enthralling you with their everyday lives, The Bikeriders is a page-turner of a biography set to motion that I couldn’t put down. QUENTIN The Bikeriders , while still very good, isn’t exactly what I expected from a story perspective. It’s more about the slow evolution of one motorcycle club from relative harmlessness to full-on gang, not a violent crime movie akin to Sons of Anarchy . I wanted (and anticipated) more of the latter. Still, though…the acting is terrific across the board (even in what amounts to a few glorified cameos), the period details are on point, and I was never not invested. Sure, it could have been 15-20 minutes longer to show the club’s transition less abruptly and to better develop a few characters, but that’s a minor complaint. PAIGE At its core, The Bikeriders shows the camaraderie built from the fumes of a Harley, and is a straightforward yet solid portrayal of a prominent Chicago motorcycle club. The sound design roars, and director Jeff Nichols succeeds in bringing the 1960s to life with rich detail. However, the story's delivery lacks drive and feels a bit scatterbrained. This may have been Nichol's intent, though, as the film is more about the journey than the destination. Overall, the movie required more fuel in its tank to set itself apart from stories like Goodfellas . PRESTON As someone who falls hard for the nonconformist, play-hard camaraderie typical of the “one-percenter” motorcycle clubs, my hopes for The Bikeriders were not entirely met. Tom Hardy and Austin Butler keep the “shiny side up, rubber side down,” but Butler’s stoic nature never lets up enough to allow full connection to his character. Perhaps to eliminate any glorification of the real-life manner in which these guys live, the movie lackadaisically putts along until we learn our lesson in the end. Jodie Comer’s storytelling is on point, but the timelines are muddled. Overall, expectation management is warranted regarding the film’s more muted presentation.