THEY/THEM Starring: Kevin Bacon, Theo Germaine, Anna Chlumsky, Cooper Koch, Quei Tann, Anna Lore, Austin Crute Director: John Logan NICK They/Them attempts to empower its LGBTQ characters the same way Get Out empowered its black characters, but, boy, does it miss the mark. There are two positives in this film: 1. the spotlight it shines on the horrors of conversion camps; and 2. Kevin Bacon's snake oil salesman. Beyond that, it's a film filled with subpar-to-average performances, a lot of bare bums, and what is probably the worst scene I'll see in a film this year. Regardless of whether you identify as he/him, she/her, or they/them, this film probably isn't for you. PAIGE They/Them attempts to be a summer camp slasher thriller, but really just ends up being a half-assed stab at a queer horror flick. Even with some pretty strong performances, the cast couldn’t save the disaster occurring on screen. Director John Logan’s inability to balance the horror elements throughout the film is truly the core issue. I mean, the therapy scenes were more haunting than the actual kills. Unfortunately, this is not the queer slasher film we wanted or deserved.

MAXXXINE Starring: Mia Goth, Elizabeth Debicki, Moses Sumney, Michelle Monaghan, Bobby Cannavale, Halsey, Lily Collins, Giancarlo Esposito, and Kevin Bacon Director: Ti West ADRIANO It saddens me to say that MaXXXine is far and away the weakest of writer/director Ti West and Mia Goth's trilogy. That's not to say you won't get similar thrills and the gory fun you got in the previous installments. But this film's plot is much more all over the place and kinda gets lost in itself a little too much. Not to mention, while the 80s vibe was fun, it didn't commit quite like the others did, and MaXXXine just simply lacked the teeth of the previous films. But hey, Mia Goth's great still, at least. PAIGE Despite Ti West directing the hell out of MaXXXine , his screenplay is lacking a bit, making the story feel hollow in comparison to its predecessors. However, this does not lessen the fact that Mia Goth is an absolute star, or that the supporting roster also kills it here. The aesthetic and style of this film are to die for, with the giallo-inspired 80s slasher and neo-noir vibes exuding the glitz and glam of Hollywood. Overall, this horror trilogy explored the idea of going to any lengths to achieve fame in a brilliant manner. PRESTON Unlike Pearl , a stand-alone prequel, MaXXXine serves as a direct sequel to X , which requires re-watching if your memory is as fogged as mine because there are lots of flashbacks that speak to the experienced trauma that has shaped our dear Maxine Minx (Mia Goth). Problematically, there is little dialogue from our primary protagonist to further develop her character, and the additional, over-the-top cast don't necessarily bring any desired nuance. The nostalgic nod to 80s Hollywood and the integrated Hollywood Studios tour are the best parts of a film that isn’t all that scary or thrilling but entertaining enough. KATIE The final installment in Ti West’s horror trilogy, MaXXXine is a gloriously gory, immensely stylish film that platforms Mia Goth’s phenomenal star quality. The film contains countless nods to 80s Hollywood and pop culture with a nostalgic, neon-lit aesthetic and the sleazy atmosphere of a giallo-esque thriller. Goth is, again, deeply compelling with a formidable screen presence, but her character doesn't feel as fully formed as in the two previous films, and the script generally pays less attention to character development than flashy personas. Still, overall, MaXXXine is a fervently fun and entertaining final chapter for the franchise.

BUGONIA Starring: Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Aidan Delbis, Stavros Halkias, and Alicia Silverstone Director: Yorgos Lanthimos QUENTIN As a director, it must be tough when your adherence to being weirdly unpredictable leads to being the total opposite. While I understand it’s a remake, that is the problem director Yorgos Lanthimos faces with Bugonia . Had this black comedy been made by any other filmmaker, I likely would have enjoyed the ride a bit more. However, I knew exactly where this story was going from jump street, which hurt my experience a bit. That aside, the performances are as excellent as you’d assume, and Lanthimos’ delightfully oddball tone permeates every corner of the film. For better or worse, it’s exactly what I expected. ADRIANO Yorgos Lanthimos must be enjoying his recent success with Poor Things and The Favourite , and while Bugonia isn't at that tier, I do think he found an interesting angle to flesh out his signature cynicism. Anchored by two magnificent performances from Emma Stone and a career-best Jesse Plemons, Bugonia takes a wild stab at the potential failure of the human experiment, with wild filmmaking that takes a non-judgmental yet scathing dive into the minds of conspiracy theorists at the bottom and the powerful CEOs at the top. It's the type of Lanthimos magnetism that makes a film unforgettable. BODE I admittedly haven’t truly liked a Yorgos Lanthimos flick since The Favourite . I wasn’t as hot on Poor Things as everyone else, and I was even more mixed on Kinds of Kindness . But Bugonia managed to get me back on board. Though a tad overlong, there’s still enough that makes its deeply sad (but still absurd) damnation of humanity entirely engaging. Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons are expectedly great, newcomer Aidan Delbis is a real find, composer Jerskin Fendrix delivers a career-best score, and Robbie Ryan’s camerawork is as wild as ever. It’s a mostly solid turn for the Greek freak. PAIGE Bugonia is one of those movies that truly keeps you on your toes. Just when you think you’ve figured out where it’s headed, director Yorgos Lanthimos throws another wrench into the story and keeps you guessing. It’s a disturbing and dark comedy, yet also a strange, gripping thriller that is elevated by Jerskin Fendrix’s grand score which keeps the tension high throughout. While I found it to be a profound and captivating watch, there are a few undercooked subplots that if fleshed out could’ve added more layers to the story. As expected, Emma Stone is excellent, but it’s Jesse Plemons who steals the show, delivering his best performance to date. AMARÚ Bugonia is director Yorgos Lanthimos’ complete undressing of today’s society in his uniquely bonkers fashion. From corporate greed to the double speak, vague buzzwords, and emotional manipulation of our social climate, Lanthimos presents our current culture’s frustrating ideological battles in a way that’s depressingly outlandish yet surprisingly straightforward. Both Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons are riveting, and composer Jerskin Fendrix’s harrowing score adds to the paranoid insanity that steadily has you questioning how this will end (being a Yorgos project, anything is plausible). Your enjoyment will hinge on your willingness to accept Yorgos’ crazy, and if you’re willing, then there isn’t much to objectively dislike. This film was reviewed by Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2 025 Zurich Film Festival.

THE CREATOR Starring: John David Washington, Gemma Chan, Ken Watanabe, Madeleine Yuna Voyles, Allison Janney, and Sturgill Simpson Director: Gareth Edwards NICK Visually, The Creator is a treat. Director Gareth Edwards has crafted a world with a vast scope that is instantly engaging. Story-wise, it may not be revolutionary, but its commentary on fear of the unknown and coming to conclusions based on being blinded by arrogance is apt. I just wish his lead was able to carry the story. Though John David Washington has had his moments, this film highlights his limitations as an actor, including a struggle to connect emotionally, which is vital to this story. Edwards’ passion for this project is clear, but a more ranged cast could’ve better brought it to screen. AMARÚ There’s a ton of greatness within The Creator that somehow is never fulfilled. Dynamic action sequences reach the heights of its grand concepts and beautiful world, but when that world is filled with a hollow script, standard dialogue, and stunted scenes, nothing the characters do creates an earned emotional payoff. It’s utterly confusing how director Gareth Edwards has proven himself a capably thought-provoking director within the Sci-Fi realm, yet produced such a confoundingly frustrating original project. I wanted so badly to connect to these characters, but unfortunately, all I ended up with is my most disappointing film of the year. ADRIANO The Creator is a hard movie for me to criticize because it's clear to me that director/co-writer Gareth Edwards put his heart into this as opposed to other factory-made sci-fi flicks (I'm looking at you, Quantumania ). The visuals are breathtaking at times, from the visual effects to Greig Fraser's cinematography, but sadly, the writing falls flat. The world-building could've used more work, as well as the character writing, the lack of which made the film feel like a bit of an emotional void. There's an excellent movie in here somewhere, but in the end, Edwards' good intentions don't succeed. CALEB In the age of reboots and sequels, The Creator tells an original, ambitious story. It’s a welcome breath of fresh air, but it’s not perfect. The art direction and cinematography are executed flawlessly, but I can’t say the same about the script. I can forgive some messy world-building and the occasional plot hole, but the blatant exposition dumps really became grating after a while. I also found that I couldn’t connect with the main character, and that some emotional beats felt unearned. It has issues, but The Creator still offers a gorgeously realized sci-fi world with enough spectacle to compensate for its uneven script. PAIGE Studios need to take note of how visually astonishing The Creator looks with just a budget of around $80mil because Gareth Edwards' futuristic vision for this original sci-fi action movie is top tier. With that said, while the movie looks amazing, it’s an empty spectacle. The emotional beats don’t dig deep, and the script is filled with several plot holes that will leave you with more questions than answers. The film will admittedly blow you away with its sheer scale, but don’t hold your breath for a layered story. PRESTON Watching The Creator feels as if you’ve been invited to a stranger’s house for a BBQ where only inside jokes are told and there is no friendly arm-around-the-shoulders to bring you in on what’s so damn funny. The plotline is littered with gaping holes, and the dialogue’s timing borders on comical. I spent much of the film in a sort of interrogative fog…Why?!...What?! That’s not to say Gareth Edwards’ film is without merit, though, as the visuals are stunning, the score is fantastic, and Madeleine Yuna Voyles’ performance manages to drum up some emotion in spite of the numerous shortcomings. QUENTIN While The Creator may be “original sci-fi” in terms of not being about a known IP, the story itself is anything but. One can easily pick out derivative beats from the likes of Dances with Wolves , Independence Day , Elysium , and pretty much any movie about a dude who finds redemption through a child. Plus, if I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times: John David Washington has zero range and cannot emote for shit. Still, all that said…and despite the plot holes and abundance of exposition…this visually stunning space actioner is better than any Avatar and most recent Star Wars offerings not named Andor . KATIE While The Creator is visually impressive and full of epic action sequences, I appreciated its creative intentions more than the actual film. I wanted to love a somewhat original sci-fi film unrelated to superheroes or franchises, but director Gareth Edwards’ distinctive vision is let down by a script that’s riddled with plot holes and lacking in exploration of the characters beyond their utility in the war. It could have been pulled off by a stronger actor, but John David Washington just lacks the emotional range to convince me. Overall, the film is rich in visual depth, but lacks it in the emotional department.

CODA Starring: Emilia Jones, Troy Kotsur, Marlee Matlin, Daniel Durant, Eugenio Derbez, Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Amy Forsyth Director: Sian Heder JACOB CODA is one of the most heartwarming films of 2021 and a landmark achievement for the representation of deaf actors in Hollywood. Moment to moment, writer-director Sian Heder’s brilliant script is having the conversation that no one else in Hollywood seems to be having at this scale, which makes the film easy to get lost in and impossible to stop thinking about. Star Emilia Jones absolutely nails it as Ruby Rossi. Her vocal and physical performance sells every minute of her character's journey, and the supporting cast is right there matching her every step. It's a wonderful experience. ADRIANO CODA is a hard film not to fall in love with. Writer-director Sian Heder’s film explores a community of people that is rarely represented on film, while also touching on themes of family and love. The entire ensemble is wonderful, with Emilia Jones shining bright and Troy Kotsur, Marlee Matlin, and Daniel Durant speaking volumes without saying a single word. The film is both funny and heartfelt, and it just makes you feel warm while watching it, especially the third act. Yeah, I cried. Twice. CODA truly is a feel-good movie that is easy to watch over and over again.

SPIRITED Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Will Ferrell, Octavia Spencer, Sunita Mani, Patrick Page, Tracy Morgan, Joe Tippett, and Marlow Barkley Director: Sean Anders ADRIANO I’m a simple man. I see a light-hearted movie that fills me with Christmas spirit, and I’m gonna like it. As such, I was able to get past the obvious flaws of Spirited . While most of the jokes miss, the majority of my laughter came from the natural comedic charm of Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds. However, despite some interesting shifts from the source material, the film remains predictable. All that said, Spirited achieved its goal of being a fun Christmas film filled with joy and whimsical musical numbers, so it’s hard for me to consider it a waste of time. QUENTIN Look, Spirited isn’t what I would call “good.” It’s too long, there are way too many musical numbers (the recurring, almost fourth-wall-breaking jokes pointing out the abundance of song-and-dance sequences don’t make them less exhausting), and it’s predictable despite some interesting diversions from the Charles Dickens’ classic. That said, it has enough charm, shiny entertainment value, sarcastic sincerity, and cast chemistry to function as a movie that plays in the background while opening presents on Christmas morning. Also, I’d watch an entire movie on Tracy Morgan’s Ghost of Yet to Come. PAIGE Spirited is a merry musical that allows two of the funniest men in the business, Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell, to have fun doing some song-and-dance routines. However, it may have worked a wee bit better if our two leads had switched roles, and if some of the musical numbers didn’t give the film such whiplash. Overall, it’s a little rough around the edges, but still a cute twist on A Christmas Carol that is filled with a bunch of laugh-out-loud moments to get you in the Christmas spirit. JACOB As hard as I tried to come around on it over the course of its far-too-long runtime, Spirited is truly very bad, and it only gets worse the more I think on it. Beyond the haphazard bungling of its themes, the film continually insists on bringing up conflicts, then abandoning those conflicts for different ones without actually paying anything off in a meaningful way. Even the musical sequences feel derivative; the slow ones all sound the same, while the upbeat numbers also sound too similar. Despite a few decent jokes here and there, even its central comic duo falls painfully flat.

NICKEL BOYS Starring: Ethan Herisse, Brandon Wilson, Hamish Linklater, Fred Hechinger, Daveed Diggs, and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor Director: RaMell Ross ADRIANO A soaring ambition from debut director RaMell Ross, Nickel Boys is a staggering and profound accomplishment. I surprisingly adjusted quickly to its first-person perspective, allowing the film to use its experimental narrative to avoid any of the trappings we may be used to from films that tackle historical atrocities. If anything, Nickel Boys feels like an antithesis to black trauma porn, instead coming across as a beautiful film about friendship and survival through choosing love over despair. I can see some struggling with the structure, but if you can get sucked into this one-of-a-kind experience, it'll be worthwhile. AMARÚ Nickel Boys is a creative feast to witness due to the visual choices director RaMell Ross uses to relay the harrowing situation of titular characters, Elwood (Ethan Herisse) and Turner (Brandon Wilson). The alternating first-person perspective is a powerful tool used to get through a fairly tough watch - tough in both its content and pacing. It’s a lot watching another movie about the atrocities of this country’s past coupled with watching a personal day-to-day-in-the-life narrative; however, the brilliant performances and inspired direction make this one-time watch a must-see experience. QUENTIN Writer-director RaMell Ross deserves immense credit for having the balls to attempt something as incredibly ambitious as Nickel Boys because it truly is refreshing to see an innovative approach to filmmaking. That said, his choice to root this adaptation in a first-person perspective (amongst other flourishes) didn’t work for me. Like, at all . It’s disorienting and often confusing, keeping me entirely at arm’s length from what should have been an emotionally moving story. It’s an overlong and arduous film that would play better during an exhibit at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture than at multiplexes. “A for effort,” as they say…

SPACEMAN Starring: Adam Sandler, Carey Mulligan, Paul Dano, Kunal Nayyar, Isabella Rossellini, and Lena Olin Director: Johan Renck PRESTON Spaceman , if nothing else, is a conversation starter. Adam Sandler continues to impress in his adeptness with any acting role he is given, and the film is mesmerizing with its beautiful cinematography and a particularly eerie character (Hanuš), voiced by Paul Dano. In truth, my adoration for its more compelling elements, including its lofty narrative about the human condition, the need for connection, and the exploration of what really matters in life, isn’t enough to pull it out of its esoteric and shallow hole. It doesn’t quite come together in the end, leaving me in a confused and rather somber state. AMARÚ There’s a weird thing that happens with Adam Sandler’s Czech accent in Spaceman . He doesn’t really attempt the accent, but he’s not speaking normally either, except, occasionally, when a New York inflection creeps through. It’s very fascinating to witness, if not well executed, and the movie is just as fascinating in its flawed execution. The premise is immediately intriguing, but something unintentionally funny or deadpan often takes you out of it. However, that disconnect brings about another premise that you're compelled to keep watching. This two-hour cycle of peculiarity ultimately ended in an uncanny experience I couldn’t help but enjoy. PAIGE Unfortunately, Spaceman is a plodding astronaut drama that gets lost in space. Apart from its pretty cinematography, decent score, and Paul Dano's calming vocal performance as the inquisitive and compassionate space spider, Hanuš, this self-serious sci-fi movie falls short on many levels. Carey Mulligan is underused, Adam Sandler is completely miscast, and the film struggles to evoke a thought-provoking contemplation on loneliness. All in all, we’re left with a simple man slipping down the rabbit hole, reliving his fragile memories and dealing with his mistakes. QUENTIN Spaceman is a slow-moving, meditative, and melancholy sci-fi oddity that, while I can’t say is something I loved overall, is *thisclose * to being a subtly brilliant examination of the human psyche, loneliness, and the evolution of a potentially fading love. Broken down to its individual parts, it offers a lot to be enamored with: Adam Sandler’s soulful performance, a talking spider (voiced terrifically by Paul Dano), and aesthetically pleasing, planetarium-esque visuals. However, despite all that, it’s a bit of a drag. Much like Steven Soderbergh’s Solaris , Spaceman is a worthy movie for extremely patient fans of cerebral sci-fi, but it’s certainly not for everyone. ADRIANO While I am very pleased to see Adam Sandler continue down a path that allows him to show off just how good of a dramatic actor he is, Spaceman is not great. It’s not horrible by any means, as there are some visually grand moments and Sandler is fantastic alongside a great vocal performance from Paul Dano; however, the film's attempts at deep and emotional wisdom are just too much at a distance, especially when it's in contrast to nonsensical world-building and a third act that makes no sense. I see genuine motives in this film, but the execution falls flat. CALEB Beneath its veneer of cosmic wonder, Spaceman lacks depth. Jakub (Adam Sandler) and Lenka’s (Carey Mulligan) star-crossed relationship is the focus of this space-drama, but their marriage isn't complex enough to justify the time spent on it. Jakub’s arc is extremely basic, and it’s a chore watching him come to the obvious realization that he should treat his wife better. Hanuš (Paul Dano), the telepathic alien, is likable, but his tendency to bluntly state how the protagonist is feeling gets old fast. Spaceman may look great, but its impressive visuals are wasted on a script that never really takes off.

I SAW THE TV GLOW Starring: Justice Smith, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Ian Foreman, Helena Howard, Fred Durst, and Danielle Deadwyler Director: Jane Schoenbrun ADRIANO I Saw the TV Glow cements Jane Schoenbrun as one of our most exciting upcoming filmmakers. Between this and their last film, Schoenbrun shows that they have a keen talent for unique storytelling, especially in their approach to themes of queer identity and our attachment to media. Schoenbrun's use of the camera and colour is particularly fascinating here, as the film takes a radical turn halfway through to become a surreal and intense experience that I was locked in for. I can't say I understood everything, but I feel I'll be pondering I Saw the TV Glow for a while. NICK It's rare that I go into a film completely blind, but that's exactly how I approached I Saw the TV Glow . Never in a million years did I expect to see an homage to Buffy the Vampire Slayer , but that is a running theme throughout. The film focuses on themes of sexuality, identity, and family trauma, all through the lens of a television program and the escape it offers. There is horror imagery, but this is much more of a psychological study, and for me, it is a welcome introduction to the direction of Jane Schoenbrun. PAIGE Similar to director Jane Schoenbrun’s previous film We’re All Going to the World's Fair , their newest release I Saw the TV Glow is a unique and moody slow burn that may not be for everyone, but is a film that allows outsiders to feel seen. With a captivating visual aesthetic, an amazing soundtrack, and hypnotizing themes of identity and escapism, Schoenbrun skillfully blurs the boundaries between fantasy and reality. Even though I didn't think the movie worked as a whole, I'm glad it was made, as it attempts to examine its themes in a surprisingly singular way. CALEB I Saw the TV Glow is a soul-stirring cautionary tale about the emptiness of self-repression. It’s a hallucinatory technicolor nightmare, brimming with style. Much like Director Jane Schoenbrun’s previous outing, We’re All Going to the World’s Fair , TV Glow adeptly explores how media consumption is interlinked with adolescence and self-discovery. Through their emphasis on acoustic indie-rock and suburban liminality, Schoenbrun weaponizes nostalgia, showing just how quickly a fond memory can transform into a source of lifelong regret. TV Glow is a wholly unique psychological horror with impeccable direction, fantastic performances, and an ending that shook me to my core. Don’t miss this one. AMARÚ With its central television conceit being based on Buffy The Vampire Slayer, I Saw the TV Glow has a cool cameo I genuinely appreciated. That’s as complimentary as I'm going to get, especially after watching a scene featuring a black mother driving off before seeing her child enter a friend’s house, which immediately let me know I wasn’t here for this ride. It's not that the movie doesn’t have merit - there’s a profoundly powerful message about identity here - but its psychedelically chaotic execution is 100% not my speed. If I never hear the words “pink” and “opaque" said in succession again, I’ll be happier for it. QUENTIN Just because a movie is an esoteric metaphor for an important theme like gender identity doesn’t mean the movie is actually good, nor does being inaccessible and artsy automatically equate to “substance.” I also think there are people who will say they love a movie precisely because they didn’t get it. Like, “if I didn’t get it, it must be smart!”, because no one likes admitting they don’t understand something. I Saw the TV Glow is where those thoughts meet because, despite the positive buzz, this movie is a monotonous slog so far up its own self-serious ass that it forgets to engage the audience.

MAD CATS Starring: Shô Mineo, Yûya Matsuura, Ayane, Michael Aaron Stone, and So Yamanaka Director: Reiki Tsuno This film has been reviewed by Quentin and Paige as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2023 Fantasia International Film Festival. PAIGE Written and directed by Reiki Tsuno, Mad Cats is a bizarre and quirky movie that somehow manages to be engaging throughout, particularly as the movie does a fairly good job of blending its tension and ridiculousness. Everyone in front of and behind the camera seem to embrace the silliness that is occurring onscreen, which allows it to be that much more enjoyable. But I must admit, this foreign flick will have you scratching your head a lot, leaving you to think “what the eff am I watching?” QUENTIN When a movie’s logline includes “…taking on a pack of vicious monster cats determined to execute unscrupulous pet shop owners,” you expect two things: silliness and… well, monster cats. Mad Cats certainly has the silliness, self-awaringly leaning into Japan’s specific brand of campy humor (not unlike what Hot Fuzz did with British humor). However, saying it has monster cats would be like saying Kill Bill has monster snakes because of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad. There are no cats; it’s just a gang of women acting like cats, which was very disappointing. Still, I chuckled enough at the absurdist humor, so not a total loss.

LOVE LIES BLEEDING Starring: Kristen Stewart, Katy O'Brian, Dave Franco, Ed Harris, Anna Baryshnikov, and Jena Malone Director: Rose Glass CALEB Love Lies Bleeding starts off relatively tame, but before I knew it, I was on the edge of my seat. Director Rose Glass successfully creates a tense, oppressive atmosphere, complete with grungy sets, an overwhelming soundscape, and some seriously sickening visuals. The romance at the heart of the film could’ve been more fleshed out, but thankfully the chemistry between Kristen Stewart and Katy O’Brian is strong enough to compensate for most of the script’s shortcomings. Love Lies Bleeding won’t be for everyone, but its unsettling fusion of romance, crime, and body horror made for an experience I won’t be forgetting any time soon. PAIGE Lesbi-honest, Love Lies Bleeding is A24’s She-Hulk , just with more blood and violence. This gritty and erotic tale of love and revenge doesn’t hold much back. While it does take some bizarre swings in the third act, director Rose Glass does an amazing job creating an exciting neo-noir that is driven by the passion-fueled performances by Kristen Stewart, Katy O'Brian, and especially Anna Baryshnikov. Overall, the movie has a bold plot and amazing cinematography, making it utterly electric. However, I have to say that it seems to be more focused on style than substance. NICK Much like last year's Finestkind , Love Lies Bleeding is another grounded film that is undone by its choice to morph into a crime thriller. Early on, there is a throwback griminess paired with a banger of a soundtrack that really sets the tone for the type of film director Rose Glass seemingly wants to make. Then, in an instant, all of that is abandoned. The quality in everything, from individual performances to the aforementioned soundtrack, diminishes, and the film I was enjoying gets a little too ridiculous for its own good. The tonal change may work for some, but it ruined the picture for me. AMARÚ Love Lies Bleeding is an intense and unforgiving story that shows the lengths some will go for love and lust…and the blurred lines between them. But mostly, it’s a showcase for budding stars Katy O’Brian and director Rose Glass. O’Brian’s fierceness shines amongst veteran stalwarts Ed Harris and Kristen Stewart, and she’s the vehicle in which Glass shows off a unique penchant for mixing drama, crime, and horror elements. The only genre-mixing that doesn’t work is some of the fantasy aspects that stand out alongside a few plot contrivances; however, I admire Glass’ choice to let her voice swing big. ADRIANO Love Lies Bleeding is a lot. I can't pretend it all flows gracefully, especially towards its wonky third act, but at its peak, this film cements Rose Glass as one of our more interesting directors. Bleeding offers a genre-bending ride that is fun, romantic, tense, and squirm-inducing, all at once. The crime aspects don't always work, at least not as much as the film's love story, but it gives us a fantastic performance from Katy O'Brian. Overall, the central story on the dangers of obsession is enough to forgive the shortcomings and just have a blast while watching. QUENTIN Love Lies Bleeding is a perfect example of a movie not equaling the sum of its parts. There truly is a lot to love, from the 80s griminess to Katy O’Brian’s star-making performance to Ed Harris’ amazing skullet. Rose Glass directs the hell out of this thing too, creating a movie that is visceral and immersive. So, why was I generally unimpressed by the movie as a whole? The slow burn is a little too slow, the story is filled with an abundance of contrivances and conveniences, and the fantastical ending is just silly. I didn’t hate it, but it could have been so much better.

LURKER Starring: Théodore Pellerin, Archie Madekwe, Zack Fox, Havana Rose Liu, Wale Onayemi, Daniel Zolghadri, and Sunny Suljic Director: Alex Russell This film has been reviewed by Bode and Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2025 Fantasia International Film Festival. QUENTIN Lurker is a hell of a film, thrillingly exploring the dynamics of celebrity (in both influencer culture and the music world), fandom, obsession, and the fame-driven, whatever-it-takes mentality of Gen Z in the internet age. Everything from Alex Russell’s direction to the performances of both Théodore Pellerin and Archie Madekwe are steeped in a genuine rawness that feels lived in. However, with that comes an incredible amount of palpable cringe that can make the viewing experience very uncomfortable, which is exacerbated by the incredibly unlikeable characters. You’re either Team Creep (Pellerin) or Team Douche (Madekwe), which provides a harsh barrier for entry while stifling “enjoyment.” BODE In our Fantasia preview HERE , I brought up Lurker as one of my most anticipated selections, especially given its early buzz out of Sundance. I’m happy to say that it lived up to the hype. Writer-director Alex Russell examines one’s proximity to fame and the obsession that can result from it with a sure hand, confidently balancing cringe-inducing hilarity, escalating tension, and unsettling nuance. It’s further boosted by a rich ensemble (Théodore Pellerin and Archie Madekwe certainly have engaging chemistry), Pat Scola’s 16mm cinematography, and a moody score from first-time composer Kenny Beats. Definitely seek this one out.