HOW TO BLOW UP A PIPELINE Starring: Ariela Barer, Kristine Froseth, Lukas Gage, Forrest Goodluck, Sasha Lane, Jayme Lawson, Marcus Scribner, Jake Weary, and Irene Bedard Director: Daniel Goldhaber NICK Every year, there is an underrated title that makes a name for itself during TIFF that was on relatively no one's radar beforehand. In 2022, that film had to be How to Blow Up a Pipeline . This is a heist film with a personalized feel, not just because of the motives, but the formatting and the way it follows each individual's story. Its grittiness makes it feel like a documentary, and it does an excellent job of building tension. This may have been an under-the-radar film entering the festival, but I think a lot more people are going to know of this film now. ADRIANO How to Blow Up a Pipeline was one of the best hidden gems I saw at TIFF last year, and it captivated me from the get-go with its engaging premise and tense tone. The characters are very well-written, with each actor playing their part perfectly. They work off each other excellently, which makes it hard for me to pick a standout. But what’s most striking is the film’s daring message: is civil disobedience okay when it comes to the pursuit of environmental justice? It’s something that has stuck with me long after the film’s credits rolled. QUENTIN I’ve seen a lot of descriptions for How to Blow Up a Pipeline include the word “heist.” While I guess I can see the similarities (ragtag group of people planning an operation), this is decidedly not a heist movie. Whether you believe in the characters’ cause or not, you’re essentially watching a terrorist attack come to fruition. For me, that made it hard to relate to or root for these characters, especially since it takes a very one-sided approach. I appreciate the gritty, almost documentary feel, but overall, this movie just didn’t resonate with me because I don’t support the general message. JACOB There isn’t likely to be a film released this spring that sparks more essential discussion amongst audiences than How to Blow Up a Pipeline . An incendiary thriller from its outset, the film immediately throws the viewer into the thick of a solid ensemble cast as it barrels full speed ahead, daring to posit that civil action does not yield true justice. The structure occasionally works against the film, and I wish the discussions of the central task’s potentially unintended consequences cropped up more, but beyond that and some further understanding of certain characters, there’s little else that doesn’t fully work. PAIGE How to Blow Up a Pipeline ’s screenplay is riveting, and it explodes with intriguing thoughts on taking matters of justice into your own hands; in this case, as it pertains to the surreal climate crisis we are actually facing. The film is beautifully shot in grainy 16mm, and it has a compelling ensemble cast that makes you feel fully invested in their cause, whether it’s right or wrong. The film’s subject matter is complex and messy, yet it still manages to feel poetic. It’s a lean and gripping indie film that shouldn’t fly under your radar. This film was reviewed by Nick and Adriano as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival.

YOU'RE CORDIALLY INVITED Starring: Will Ferrell, Reese Witherspoon, Geraldine Viswanathan, Meredith Hagner, Jimmy Tatro, Stony Blyden, Leanne Morgan, Rory Scovel, Jacki McBrayer, and Celia Weston Director: Nicholas Stoller NICK Considering it stars Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon, You're Cordially Invited is straight out of the 2000s. Evoking the memory of films such as Bride Wars , I can't say it adds anything to the comedy battleground genre, staying on par with many of the other entries. There are some decisions late in the film that hurt my overall rating, but for the majority of it, it's an average film. Inoffensive, yet likely to be forgotten once the year turns over. What shouldn’t be forgotten, however, is Geraldine Viswanathan. She’s enjoyable here, and it’s time we start seeing more of her. QUENTIN There are a few moments in You’re Cordially Invited when it seems like writer-director Nicholas Stoller wanted to let Will Ferrell cook in his trademark improvisational style, but they’re buried under so many lazily unfunny jokes, you wonder why they cast Ferrell at all. Alongside that, Invited has one of the laziest R-ratings I’ve ever seen, amounting to nothing more than a couple shoehorned-in F-bombs. Frankly, this dated movie feels like Stoller either self-sabotaged or the studio had too heavy a hand in the final cut because there are shadows of glimpses of a comedy that could have been entertaining. As is, though? RSVP No. PRESTON I entered You’re Cordially Invited with extremely low expectations, and should you choose to do the same, there is an outside chance that you may consider it…not half-bad. I even, surprisingly, avoided the all-too-familiar moment when I thought that I was hating what I was watching. It is ridiculous and sweet, and sometimes funny, and sometimes cringe. But for me, it was a perfectly acceptable way to pass time on a day I was feeling a little poopy. Besides low expectations, an appreciation of Will Ferrell’s style of comedy is also a prerequisite, but that’s too easy. AMARÚ I’m happy to say that You’re Cordially Invited is genuinely heartfelt, hilarious, and more than your run-of-the-mill romantic comedy. Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon go toe-to-toe with ridiculous (but not overdone) antics and insightful arcs that’ll make you look at your own familial relationships more closely, but it’s Leanne Morgan and Rory Scovel who threaten to steal the entire movie. Writer-director Nicholas Stoller gives them the biggest laughs while also delivering an honest examination on how people’s differing beliefs can inhibit their ability to listen and empathize. He had no right creating something this good with this premise, but it works. Bravo. ADRIANO You're Cordially Invited has an easy concept, a proven comedic director in Nicholas Stoller, and two great lead performers, one of whom is a comedy legend… so why did it fall so flat? It just comes down to it not being very funny. It has some heart, some chuckle-worthy moments, and there's nothing insincere about it, but Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon are sadly not amazing here. Ferrell, in particular, feels weirdly neutered (Jimmy Tatro and Keyla Monterroso Mejia are innocent, though). For a streaming movie, it's simple enough; just be aware you may not laugh as much as you'd hope.

DON'T LOOK UP Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Rob Morgan, Jonah Hill, Meryl Streep, Cate Blanchett, Tyler Perry, Mark Rylance, Timothée Chalamet, Himesh Patel, Melanie Lynskey, Ron Perlman, Ariana Grande, and Scott Mescudi Director: Adam McKay PAIGE Director Adam McKay's latest film, Don’t Look Up , is a political satire that speaks volumes to today’s society and media outlets. It’s kinda scary just how true to life some of the behavior is portrayed in this film. It’s a brutally dark comedy with a star-studded cast that gives soaring performances, but the overall story crashed for me. Some odd editing choices and a runtime that is truly to the film’s detriment stopped the movie from being as good as it should have been. That said, while it’s not always smooth sailing, there is more here to like than not. ADRIANO Don’t Look Up is a fun, yet very sickening movie (in a good way). As a fan of writer/director Adam McKay, this is undoubtedly his best film, as it perfectly blends his comedic and dramatic sensibilities. Overall, it lacks subtlety, but for a film subject with this much urgency, I’m able to let that slide. The cast is one for the ages, with Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Rylance standing out, and as funny as the film is, the final act is both powerful and effective in its execution. It’s the rare film where it’s important that everyone sees it. JACOB Not quite as accomplished as The Big Short , but less condescending than Vice , writer/director Adam McKay’s Don’t Look Up lands somewhere between the two, quality-wise. Its first act is fairly messy, marred by some bizarre editing choices, but eventually it settles into the story at hand. What ultimately keeps it from soaring is that it works much better as a doomsday horror than as a comedy, but keeps skirting the former to focus on the latter…and it’s rather unsubtle about it. There are funny moments and the performances are good, but it’s the film’s terrifying finale that shines. QUENTIN Some satires require separation from the events being skewered and a certain level of viewer ignorance to really work. Otherwise, you lose the revelatory absurdity driving the humor. Don’t Look Up is one such satire. That’s not to say it’s a bad movie. It features great performances and is generally enjoyable despite several unnecessary subplots, some jarring edits, and an overlong runtime. However, the jokes are so true-to-life that they aren’t particularly witty. It simply can’t match the tomfuckery of what has actually been happening the past few years, which mostly results in the opposite of “funny because it’s true.”

THE PARENTING Starring: Nik Dodani, Brandon Flynn, Brian Cox, Edie Falco, Lisa Kudrow, Dean Norris, Vivian Bang, and Parker Posey Director: Craig Johnson NICK There is a sub-genre in comedy that I consider "intentionally cringe,” and I'll fully admit, I'm not overly a fan. This is where The Parenting fails, and even though I have disfavour towards the genre, I can still confidently say this isn't a good film. There are a couple one-liners from the talented ensemble that hit, but that's about it…unless you really enjoy some cringe. The characters are progressively irritating, and although The Parenting feels like it wants to be a parody, it never becomes one, which leaves it as another basic, kinda lame, forgettable direct-to-streaming film. KATIE I didn’t have high hopes going into The Parenting, but it ended up being one of the funniest horror comedies I’ve seen. The tone initially threw me off, but the irreverent, goofy humour and stellar performances quickly won me over. There are some misses, but the majority of the jokes land. In fact, they’re genuinely hilarious when they do, handled effortlessly by a cast that knows exactly how to deliver this kind of humour. Brian Cox, in particular, is a surprising bit of casting that pays off spectacularly. I can see myself returning to The Parenting if I need a good laugh. ROBERT I got the oddest juxtaposition of thoughts while watching The Parenting . I found myself laughing uproariously, but also, everyone working to make it enjoyable is way overqualified. It came off like a B-movie with A-list actors, propping up something that should’ve been better. It could be that I wasn’t as invested in the heart of the central relationship since it was built on less-talented individuals, but regardless, the quirky personalities of Parker Posey and all the parents kept it afloat. It is rewatchable because the humor hits at a high rate.

SANCTUARY Starring: Christopher Abbott and Margaret Qualley Director: Zachary Wigon QUENTIN Sanctuary , which feels like a stage play (the entire movie takes place in a single hotel room), does a great job of keeping viewers on their toes. One is never entirely sure what is real, what is role play, and what is unreliable narrator. Christopher Abbott and Margaret Qualley bounce off each other exceptionally well, with Qualley especially giving a performance worthy of some non-Oscar awards. The somewhat anticlimactic ending doesn’t make a lot of sense if you think about it too hard, but it still works organically in the context of the story. Overall, a pleasant, and sometimes sexy, surprise. NICK Sanctuary starts off fun. There is a little mystery, some sexual tension, and Margaret Qualley at her scene-chewing best. Then, it just keeps going…and going. I slowly began to feel as trapped as the main characters. What begins as a strong look into differing power dynamics, reaches a point where even the twists wear out their welcome. Were this a 45-minute episode of an anthology series, there's no doubt it would be an award winner, but at feature length, there just isn't enough steam to reach the finish line. ADRIANO Sanctuary had my attention until the very end, and it made good use of that fact. The movie takes place in a single hotel room for the entirety of its runtime, and not once did it feel staged or play-like due, in part, to its vibrant tone and wicked twists. It kept me guessing constantly with its psychological trickery, and, truth be told, I was all in for it. Christopher Abbott is great, but Margaret Qualley is chewing up every single line of dialogue. I loved it. This movie is a success in almost every department. JACOB One of the IP era’s cruelest casualties, the erotic thriller has faded from the cinematic consciousness, especially as the lesser of them are relegated to streaming; leave it to Margaret Qualley to bring it roaring back in fine form. Sanctuary is deliciously fun and deliriously horny, the kind of two-hander that thrives on the strength of its performances and a crackling script from Micah Bloomberg. It is admittedly imperfect, primarily in how it loses much of the eroticism heading into the second act, but the stellar turns from Qualley and Christopher Abbott keep it fresh enough to remain thoroughly engaging. This film was reviewed by Nick, Quentin, and Adriano as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival.

SWEETNESS Starring: Kate Hallett, Herman Tømmeraas, Aya Furukawa, Justin Chatwin, Amanda Brugel, and Steven Ogg Director: Emma Higgins This film has been reviewed by Nick, Quentin, and Bode as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2025 Fantasia International Film Festival. NICK For a film completely off my radar, Sweetness is easily one the biggest surprises of Fantasia this year. This is a great exploration of the way people connect to artists through trauma and how that connection can turn into obsession. Kate Hallett is great as the often delusional but always tragic Rylee; however, it's the avalanche of the story that really locked me into this one. As things would spiral out of control, I would become further immersed. Other than a slight disconnect regarding the ending which affected my rating, I thoroughly enjoyed this one. BODE 2025 has seen some films try to stake their claim as Misery for a new generation, with Hurry Up Tomorrow recently putting a pop star spin on that formula (particularly in its third act). But while that Weeknd vehicle failed in achieving that goal, Sweetness comes along and manages to do the opposite. Writer-director Emma Higgins gives this tale of obsession a truly sour spin, ratcheting up the intensity and uneasiness at nearly every turn. It’s only made more effective by Kate Hallett’s remarkably grounded performance, bringing layers to an ultimately tragic protagonist. Definitely a highlight at Fantasia. QUENTIN Sweetness is essentially a modern update to Stephen King’s Misery , specifically speaking on the current era of squads like Swifties and The BeyHive, where pop stars have reached near God-like status complete with faithful and extremely protective cultish followings. As such, Sweetness naturally has moments of young adult, Gen Z cringe; however, they are offset by a willingness to go much darker than one might initially expect. For the most part, the movie — built on a tight-rope performance from young Kate Hallett — works, aside from the ending, which delivers a message that I don’t ultimately love. KATIE Sweetness combines contemporary fandom culture with the concept of Misery as Kate Hallett, playing obsessive superfan Rylee, is great in the lead role, going from bully victim to psycho. It is surprisingly gruesome, and I’m glad it went as far as it did with Rylee’s dedication to her favourite singer. The makeup and costuming also show a clear understanding of Gen Z fashion trends and aesthetics. It’s gory and fun, but also looks at the unique challenges of teenage girlhood today, particularly the impact of online content on the development of teen girls and how they interact with the world.

SISU: ROAD TO REVENGE Starring: Jorma Tommila, Stephen Lang, and Richard Brake Director: Jalmari Helander NICK Your enjoyment of Sisu: Road to Revenge will be based almost entirely on your ability to suspend disbelief because there are Fast & Furious -levels of ridiculousness here. The sequel strips away some of what made the first film work in exchange for cartoon violence that is uneven yet entertaining, even when it dips into feeling like a live action Looney Tunes episode. I thought the first film was fine, and this one is very similar. Stephen Lang's moustache-twirling villain is a highlight, but otherwise, there isn’t much that separates the two films. I certainly don’t need any more Sisu movies, but I’d watch. QUENTIN I loved Sisu , and considering its sequel is very much the same but with cartoonish amplification, I’m still on board despite the ridiculousness. And make no mistakes, Road to Revenge pushes the bounds of disbelief. I give no shits, though, because it’s just a fun time at the movies. It knows exactly what it is and revels in the gory muck, which is admirable. I described the first one as John Wick meets The First Avenger , as directed by Quentin Tarantino. That still tracks, except replace The First Avenger with Fury Road and a dash of Snowpiercer , maybe muddled together in some extra grindhouse grit. AMARÚ With maybe a grand total of 150 words (one vicious Stephen Lang monologue aside), Sisu: Road to Revenge quickly sets the stakes, pitting the badass Lang against The Legend (Jorma Tommila) and kickstarting a bloody ridiculous sequel. The chapters fly by, letting its super gory, often hilarious, and always epic action speak for itself. Similar to the first film, the action is simpler than expected. But unlike how that dragged the original’s pacing, Revenge ’s stronger emotional foundation lets the straightforward yet outlandish set pieces breathe easier. It all sets the stage for potentially more bombastic final chapters to bring it home. BODE While I understood why Sisu was one of the most buzzed-about flicks at TIFF three years ago, I personally didn’t find much about it distinguished itself from other films of its ilk (other than some fun bits of gore). The same could arguably be said for its unexpected sequel, Road to Revenge , but returning writer-director Jalmari Helander injects more of a brazenly silly energy to its action sequences and an emotional core that gives the continuing adventures of this Finnish warrior some genuine stakes. Plus, who doesn’t love to see Stephen Lang chew up the scenery as an accented villain? It’s an improvement!

PIZZA MOVIE Starring: Gaten Matarazzo, Sean Giambrone, Peyton Elizabeth Lee, and Jack Martin Directors: Nick Kocher and Brian McElhaney PAIGE Pizza Movie is a wacky stoner comedy targeted at the Gen Z audience that is not funny in the slightest. Gaten Matarazzo tries his best to do what he can here, but the script is downright awful. It’s just one stupid joke after another. It feels like directors Nick Kocher and Brian McElhaney tried to replicate the tripping scenes from 21 Jump Street and stretch them into a feature-length film. It’s chaotic and cheesy, resulting in the film wearing itself thin fairly quickly. Honestly, the best character in this movie is a food delivery robot. ROBERT Whenever an actor or actress has a hit project, I believe their real career begins in the aftermath of said project. I can’t say that Pizza Movie was the surefire golden ticket for Gaten Matarazzo to follow up Stranger Things with, but I thought it was raucously funny and played to his strengths. Not every film, especially college comedies, must be inventive or break the mold, so I thought this was a suitable heir to things like Animal House or 22 Jump Street for this generation. The side characters, especially the bullies, stole their scenes, and you must stick around for the butterfly reveal. KATIE I think if Pizza Movie committed to a tone and aesthetic, it could have been funny and even entertaining. It has a great opening and some funny moments; however, the humour feels inconsistent, the jokes that don’t work fall unbearably flat, and there are many pointless, unfunny set pieces, including a completely unnecessary celebrity cameo. It’s not the cast’s fault, and to their credit, their performances got laughs out of me despite the weak dialogue. Sean Giambrone and Jack Martin in particular are hilarious, and they’re each the best thing about this disappointing film.

ROBOT DREAMS Starring: Ivan Labanda Director: Pablo Berger ADRIANO There is something to admire about the simple existence of Robot Dreams . An animated movie about the friendship between a robot and a dog that is told entirely with no dialogue feels like a relic of the past, and yet here it is. The animation is colourful and enticing throughout, while the themes of loneliness and the human desire to reach out make for an endearing watch. Unfortunately, while the movie feels like a short film stretched to feature length due to increasingly repetitive subplots that could have easily been removed, the final scene alone makes the experience worth it. AMARÚ Robot Dreams more than deserved the Oscar nomination it received at this year’s ceremony. Even more than five months after I initially saw it, the emotions it evokes from a dog and a robot still lowkey haunt me to this day. Not a scary or saddening haunting, but more of a bittersweet acceptance. With almost no dialogue, director Pablo Berger deftly utilizes music (shout out to Earth, Wind, and Fire), ambient noise, facial expressions, and anthropomorphic sounds to relay deeply felt themes of companionship, lost love, and new life that universally resonate. It’s a triumph of the heart and soul. This film was reviewed by Adriano as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.

THREE THOUSAND YEARS OF LONGING Starring: Idris Elba and Tilda Swinton Director: George Miller JACOB I’m not sure if I liked Three Thousand Years of Longing , but I’d certainly recommend it to anyone who asked. George Miller’s fantasy odyssey is constantly grappling with interesting ideas surrounding story, life, desire, and purpose; however, its presentation isn’t as fulfilling as it hopes to be. Idris Elba and Tilda Swinton have great chemistry, and the film is always engaging, but its adherence to lengthy flashbacks removes the audience from the things that work best. There is much to admire…the costuming, the design, the look of it all…but not much to fall in love with. ADRIANO Three Thousand Years Of Longing definitely looks great, and it also has some original concepts that are buried underneath a whole bunch of nonsense. However, writer/director George Miller’s latest sees him having full creative freedom, and, unfortunately, that freedom is wasted on a script full of underdeveloped characters and plot points. I genuinely couldn’t tell who I was supposed to root for or what the objective was, which are two pretty important aspects of a movie. And the third act? My God. I’m not exaggerating when I say it gave me whiplash like nine times. It’s very disappointing, to say the least.

MARTY, LIFE IS SHORT Starring: Martin Short, Steve Martin, John Mulaney, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Michael Short, Paul Shaffer, Catherine O’Hara, Deb Devine, Oliver Short, Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Walter Parkes, Laurie MacDonald, Steven Spielberg, and Kate Capshaw Director: Lawrence Kasdan ROBERT Documentaries serve one of two purposes: getting people interested in a subject they know nothing about, or deepening knowledge of something they like but have never researched. Martin Short has never been someone whose work I sought out directly until Only Murders in the Building , but someone who never disappointed. The depth of his character, his love for family and comedy, and how he has touched people was something I didn’t understand until Marty, Life is Short. It was warm, loving, devastating, and greatly interspersed with interviews and archival footage to color in a man of esteem not just in entertainment, but in life. KATIE As someone who was primarily familiar with Martin Short as Jack Frost from The Santa Clause 3 until recently, I found Marty, Life is Short to be an informative, entertaining, and moving documentary. The love director Lawrence Kasdan has for Short shines through his film, which, lovely as it is, sometimes means it focuses more on how great he is over delving into his life and career. This may be frustrating for those watching who want to discover more about him. Nonetheless, the star-studded interviews and use of home footage are compelling and heart-warming in their sincerity.

PET SEMETARY: BLOODLINES Starring: Jackson White, Forrest Goodluck, Jack Mulhern, Henry Thomas, Natalie Alyn Lind, Isabella Star LaBlanc, Samantha Mathis, Pam Grier, and David Duchovney Director: Lindsey Anderson Beer This film has been reviewed by Nick and Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of Fantastic Fest 2023. NICK If you're looking for Pet Sematary: Bloodlines to justify its existence, it doesn't. It's pretty much a rehash of the original story of Ludlow with a different coat of paint. Having said that, as a standalone horror, it's a nice introduction for a new generation to the Pet Sematary concept. Even if you aren't new to the franchise, there’s still enough thrills and chills here to provide a satisfying watch. The backstory of Jud Crandall (Jackson White) may be unnecessary, but it still makes for a more interesting story than the 2019 remake of the 1989 original. QUENTIN As a huge fan of 1989’s Pet Sematary (it remains one of the scariest movies I’ve ever seen, in fact), the idea of a prequel that explores the lore of the titular graveyard had my attention immediately. However, Bloodlines isn’t really interested in exploring that lore in any meaningful way. Director Lindsey Anderson Beer mostly just throws jump scares, blood, gore, and slight nods to the IP at the screen in hopes that it will be enough. Sadly, it is not. When you pair that with very mediocre acting, you end up with a franchise entry that embodies its most known quote: “Sometimes dead is better.” KATIE Pet Sematary: Bloodlines left me wondering, “who asked for this film?” It gave me the same bad taste that I’ve experienced with many recent horror prequels or reboots. It’s a totally lifeless, uninspired re-telling of the original story, featuring underdeveloped characters and lackluster performances (with the notable exception of Isabella Star LaBlanc). The film rests on relationships between lifelong friends, as well as fathers and sons; however, we never explore their emotional bonds, and therefore have no reason to be invested in them. This franchise did not deserve to be resurrected. CALEB Pet Sematary: Bloodlines is a lifeless prequel that loses all the terror the original film brought to the table. Pet Sematary (1989) worked so well because it was simple, with the draw of the story coming from the characters and their choices. The cemetery itself was just a plot device; we didn’t need a movie about its origin story. Bloodlines is needlessly complicated and entirely aimless, and it seems disinterested in exploring loss in any meaningful way, choosing instead to bore its audience to death with terrible characters and convoluted world-building. Just like everything else in the pet sematary, this franchise should’ve stayed dead. PHILL Pet Sematary: Bloodlines might just be a serious contender for dullest movie of the year. This uninspired horror has nothing going for it, outside of some very cheap gore effects (most of which are done off screen) and extremely predictable jump scares. To top it off, every single performance in this film is completely wooden; however, in the actor’s defence, the script is so weak that they had very little to work with, anyway. Sadly, there is not a single redeeming quality in Bloodlines that makes this film worth watching. The entire film is as generic as the title.