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MEGALOPOLIS Starring: Adam Driver, Nathalie Emmanuel, Giancarlo Esposito, Jon Voight, Aubrey Plaza, Laurence Fishburne, and Shia LaBeouf Director: Francis Ford Coppola QUENTIN Although a modern world in which ancient Rome never fell is an incredibly fascinating premise, Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis is an unmitigated disaster that vacillates from (presumably unintentional) campiness to overbearing self-seriousness at the drop of a hat. In addition to that, the story is so overstuffed and poorly developed, it’s like Coppola simply gave his stacked cast a hand-wave gesture and basic gist, leaving them to figure everything out on their own, which results in a collection of A-list actors who clearly aren’t working on the same wavelength. It’s not lacking in ambition, but the execution isn’t there. The visuals look sorta nice sometimes, though. ADRIANO After what has probably been one of the most cursed pre-releases maybe ever, I've finally witnessed Megalopolis . And, yeah, it's awful, but almost in an endearing way. Writer/director Francis Ford Coppola has stated that he's been mulling over this since the 70s, and while his passion shines through, it's staggeringly clear that he threw every single idea he had at this. The result is incoherent, empty, poorly-acted, and sadly incompetent. That said, I did enjoy watching a madman's unflinching ambition take shape, even if it's ultimately a mess. I'm giving this a low rating, but it's worth watching at least once. PAIGE It gives me no pleasure to report this, but Megalopolis is an absolute disaster. Honestly, when Francis Ford Coppola wrote this fable, what in the world was he smoking? Though I understand his intentions when it comes to the film’s concepts of time, technology, and politics, this thing, overall, is so incoherent and incompetent that it truly made me want to gouge my eyes out. The screenplay is a hot mess, the runtime is tedious, and it seems as though each actor is acting in a completely different movie. Personally, I think Coppola was better off keeping his vineyard than making this dumpster fire. This film was reviewed by Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.

VINCENT MUST DIE Starring: Karim Leklou and Vimala Pons Director: Stéphan Castang This film has been reviewed by Nick and Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2023 Fantasia International Film Festival. NICK The premise of Vincent Must Die had my attention because of the different directions it could go. Would it be horror? Comedy? Drama? Romance? The answer is a little bit of everything. Following Vincent (Karim Leklou), an unsuspecting man navigating his way through a world trying to kill him, makes for a fun time (especially when children are involved). Unfortunately, it feels like director Stéphan Castang didn’t know how to end the film as it lands a little flat. I enjoyed it, but I’d love to see an English remake with a little more money behind it and a revamped ending. QUENTIN As simple as Vincent Must Die ’s premise is, it could have been a great action horror movie like Mayhem . However, it plays things too slowly to be truly engaging (think a far less creepy and less good It Follows ). It certainly starts strong enough, but it eventually turns into a potentially doomed romance tale, which kills the momentum. Also, and maybe I’m being nitpicky, but it never explains its own rules, so the viewers are often as confused as Vincent (Karim Leklou). Maybe that’s the point? Either way, there is a good movie here somewhere, but this version of it lost me about midway through.

STOCKHOLM BLOODBATH Starring: Sophie Cookson, Alba August, Emily Beecham, Claes Bang, Jakob Oftebro, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard, Ulrich Thomsen, Matias Varela, Thomas Chaanhing, and Wilf Scolding Director: Mikael Håfström PRESTON Director Mikael Håfström uses an aesthetic mash-up of Guy Ritchie and Quentin Tarantino in Stockholm Bloodbath , which is cool, and the historicity of the story is pure gold. I mean, the event is actually called The Stockholm Bloodbath. So, it's by what I can only imagine is a personal attack against me that Håfström bastardizes the hell out of this with a see-sawing dialogue of inappropriate levity and confusing seriousness. Its attempted stylized-mix of Braveheart and A Knight’s Tale results in a confusing and bipolar tone that leaves the viewer “absolutely wanting.” Extreme potential is the only thing that’s spilled upon the roads of Stockholm this time. QUENTIN Given its Guy Ritchie inspirations, brutal true-life story, and bloody Braveheart -esque battles, it’s wild just how flat and tame Stockholm Bloodbath is. Whether it’s the inconsistent tone or the competing stories filled with poorly developed characters, everything feels like it’s just going through the motions. It doesn’t help that the acting is fairly pedestrian (at best), with many of the performers coming across as Poor Man’s versions of better actors. That said, had either of the plotlines been given room to breathe, this may have made for a serviceable action epic. As constructed, though, it simply misses the mark.

ARMAGEDDON TIME Starring: Banks Repeta, Anthony Hopkins, Jeremy Strong, Anne Hathaway, and Jaylin Webb Director: James Gray JACOB James Gray’s Armageddon Time is unlikely to be viewed as a masterwork or a revolutionary act of cinema, but it has more than enough for true cinephiles to enjoy. The film’s messaging is a tad difficult to grasp, but it still mostly works. Gray’s most personal film yet, the semi-autobiographical tale feels like a movie both from its time and of its time, that being 1973 to around 1980. Banks Repeta is great as the lead character, and he gets strong support from the whole ensemble, but it’s Anthony Hopkins who provides the soul of the story. NICK Armageddon Time is a relatively basic coming-of-age story that puts forth many ideas without really committing to one. There are some plot holes that easily could have been filled in, but they are simply glanced over to help move the story along. Also, this film loses a lot of its shine when Anthony Hopkins is not on screen. That's not to say anything of the cast…everyone has a good showing…but Hopkins’ presence ignites something that fades in his absence. This is a film made for awards recognition, and since it’s bound to fall short of that, it must be viewed as a disappointment. ADRIANO Writer/director James Gray’s semi-autobiographical Armageddon Time is unlikely to pull on the heartstrings, but that’s what I liked about it. This film ditches the Oscar-bait sentimentality in exchange for an honest and raw look at Gray’s childhood. While I don’t think all of the political stuff worked, I did like the familial aspects. The entire cast does a great job too, but Banks Repeta does a particularly standup job as the lead while Jeremy Strong and Anthony Hopkins also are fantastic. For many reasons, both good and bad, this film just resonated with me. This film was reviewed by Jacob as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2022 New York Film Festival.

THE CAINE MUTINY COURT-MARTIAL Starring: Jason Clarke, Kiefer Sutherland, Jake Lacy, Monica Raymund, Lewis Pullman, Tom Riley, Jay Duplass, Elizabeth Anweis, Gabe Kessler, and Lance Reddick Director: William Friedkin QUENTIN Though not flashy, The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial is a thoroughly engaging courtroom drama. Presented like a single-room stage play, it’s content to simply let its actors do what they do best: act. It asks interesting questions about military rank structure, the uniform code of military justice, and the ramifications of decisions made by those in command only through the various testimonies, which allows viewers to draw their own conclusions about the case at hand. Given that it was directed by the late William Friedkin, it’s no surprise that this stripped-down version of A Few Good Men is old school movie-making at its finest. CALEB The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial is an exceptionally written courtroom drama that deftly explores the unspoken vulnerabilities of men serving in the line of duty. The film’s compelling script is enriched by captivating performances from Kiefer Sutherland, Jason Clarke, and Lance Reddick. Visually, the film employs a calculated, restrained style, dedicating its cinematic language solely to highlighting the multitude of impressive performances on screen. This unpretentious approach is a shining testament to director William Friedkin’s confidence as a storyteller. Court-Martial is a powerful meditation on honour and responsibility that makes for a memorable send-off for both Reddick and Friedkin. PRESTON The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial is the latest adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Caine Mutiny (1952). Despite its abrupt start (and confusing libel with slander at one point), this latest rendition proves that a massive budget filled with expensive visual effects and eccentric camerawork isn’t necessary to make an altogether satisfying and quality production. The script is dialogue rich, featuring a functional style that is 12 Angry Men meets A Few Good Men and a refreshingly accurate and believable portrayal of everyday military shenanigans. Trust me, you won’t regret sitting down to watch this little hidden gem. This film was reviewed by Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2023 Venice International Film Festival.

THE MARSH KING'S DAUGHTER Starring: Daisy Ridley, Ben Mendelsohn, Brooklynn Prince, Gil Birmingham, Caren Pistorius, Garrett Hedlund, and Joey Carson Director: Neil Burger PRESTON The Marsh King’s Daughter is the ultimate tease as a psychological thriller, taking you right up to the point of exhilaration without actually coming through. The initial act sets things up nicely, but what follows is a boring slog that is further hindered by some confusing choices in flashback- and action-sequence camerawork. Daisy Ridley and Ben Mendelsohn are fantastic, though, and, as a film, this may have been the rare case where taking some creative license from the novel on which it is based might have added some pop to a story with an underlying premise that really had potential. QUENTIN Though it does nothing groundbreaking or anything particularly memorable, The Marsh King’s Daughter remains just engaging enough to function as a nice rainy-day distraction. Honestly, it feels a lot like a movie Ashley Judd would have starred in 20 years ago. That said, after an unexpected twist early on, it doesn’t seem to know what it wants to be, with some scenes feeling like they belong in a slasher movie while others are more family drama. Still, it all mostly comes together decently (even if it is predictable), and the performances are solid, especially Ben Mendelsohn. All in all, it was worth the watch.

THE SEA BEAST Starring: Karl Urban, Zaris-Angel Hator, Jared Harris, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Jim Carter, Doon Mackichan, and Dan Stevens Director: Chris Williams JOSEPH The Sea Beast is a film split in two. The first half is a bit generic, borrowing heavily from other stories, namely How to Train Your Dragon , but the second half is great! It’s so great, in fact, that even the visuals seem to improve with the storytelling. While the color palette is brilliant, some of the textures are lacking; that doesn’t stop some scenes from being truly beautiful, though. The characters are likable, the world is intriguing, and the ultimate message is bold and relevant. I only wish the first half felt more interesting and necessary to the plot. QUENTIN As far as story and vocal performances go, The Sea Beast isn’t anything special. It’s basically a variation of King Kong , with a smidge too much sappiness and a very preachy ending. That said, it’s still a swashbuckling good time, and it’s worth watching if for no other reason than the animation. It looks absolutely incredible, putting Pixar to shame with sequences so realistic that they genuinely look live action. It might be the best animation I’ve seen since Into the Spider-verse , and it’s wild to me that no one is really talking about it. Netflix Animation took a major step forward with this one.

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 2 Starring: James Marsden, Ben Schwartz, Tika Sumpter, Natasha Rothwell, Adam Pally, Shemar Moore, Colleen O’Shaughnessey, Lee Majdoub, Idris Elba and Jim Carrey Director: Jeff Fowler AMARÚ Like the first one, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 delivers something that movie-going parents have always wanted: a light, brightly colored popcorn movie for the kids that won’t make Mom & Dad want to kill themselves. Equal parts silly and charming, each and every performer is committed to the good times, especially Natasha Rothwell and Idris Elba (voice of fan-favorite Knuckles). There are some plot lines that are overdrawn, but adult viewers will feel 10 years old again while watching this film. If you can, try to catch it in a child-filled theater because the cheers will have you thinking you’re watching Avengers: Endgame . ADRIANO If you liked the first one, you’ll like Sonic the Hedgehog 2 . It has a lot of the same charm and fun times that the franchise starter had, yet takes them up a notch. Jim Carrey is, once again, a delight, although he does sometimes go into “How do you do, fellow kids?” territory. Ben Schwartz is still a great voice for Sonic too, but Idris Elba is flat-out hysterical as Knuckles. Some of the human elements are pretty laughable (there’s a plot twist in the movie that’s actually atrocious) and it shouldn’t have been this long, but overall, it’s pure dumb fun. JACOB While I’m still unsure whether I would call it a “good” movie, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is better than the grossly overrated mess that preceded it. The action is more coherent, the last 20 minutes work pretty well for fans, and it’s visually far more interesting. Unfortunately, it’s still plagued by the things that didn’t work last time, and they work even less here. No human characters actually do anything interesting, but the movie insists on spending way too much time on their terrible subplot. And none of the jokes land either. It’s definitely an improvement, but it’s marginal at best.

ZOLA Starring: Taylour Paige, Riley Keough, Nicholas Braun, Colman Domingo and Jason Mitchell Director: Janicza Bravo JACOB As an adaptation, Zola doesn't quite capture its source material wholistically, and, frankly, the story is more entertaining in written form. That said, co-writer/director Janicza Bravo's re-telling of the iconic Twitter saga is engaging enough to keep one's attention thanks to solid performances from Taylour Paige and Riley Keough. Some will inevitably be turned off by the experimental manner in which certain scenes are crafted, but conventionality wouldn't fit the story's essence. I do wish there was more of an ending than what's included, as the film sort of just ends without much in the way of resolution. QUENTIN For better or worse, I wasn't familiar with the Twitter thread that inspired this movie. I knew it existed, but had no idea about the ins-and-outs of the supposedly true story. It's a wild one, to be sure. That said, something just didn't click for me despite fantastic acting and direction. Colman Domingo is especially great, stealing every scene he's in, while director Janicza Bravo announces herself with a style that is perfectly suited for a Twitter-based movie in the TikTok era. It's certainly not bad, but the most exciting thing about it is the introduction to Bravo.

WINNIE THE POOH: BLOOD AND HONEY Starring: Maria Taylor, Craig David Dowsett, Chris Cordell, Natasha Tosini, Natasha Rose Mills, Amber Doig-Thorne, Danielle Ronald, Danielle Scott, and Nikolai Leon Director: Rhys Frake-Waterfield DARRYL Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey is not a good film by any stretch of the imagination. While there's some merit to the idea of creating a story in the same vein of a 1970s slasher film, the execution of said idea fails on nearly every level. Rhys Frake-Waterfield's direction is suspect, the sound mix is horrible, and the acting is atrocious from all parties involved. The only possible saving grace is Vince Knight's cinematography, which, while as spotty as the rest of the film, manages to show a few moments of brilliance. This is a film to be avoided at all costs. JACOB To no one’s surprise, Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey is a very bad movie with no actual characters, exquisitely bad performances, terribly designed sets, nonsensical cinematography, and a story and script that clearly didn’t make it past the outline stage. There’s not one choice made in this movie that’s not obscenely stupid, no moment that’s not way longer than it needs to be. This would all be kind of fun if that made it so the film treaded on “so bad it’s good” territory, but an overlong and repetitive third act squashes any notion of that being the case.

BRIAN AND CHARLES Starring: David Earl, Chris Hayward, Louise Brealey, Jamie Michie, Nina Sosanya, Lynn Hunter, Lowri Izzard, Mari Izzard, and Cara Chase Director: Jim Archer JACOB Brian and Charles is absolutely adorable and full of genuine heart. Lightyear may have been the bigger theatrical release this weekend, but it’s this Sundance comedy that ultimately bests the Space Ranger spinoff in pure quality. Charming and creative in all the right ways, its mostly plain filmmaking is overcome through sheer inventiveness, which permeates through David Earl’s tender-hearted performance. There are some aspects of it which lack the nuance it needs to be one of the indie greats, but others work well enough to make up for it. It seems destined to become one of 2022’s most underrated films. ADRIANO Brian And Charles won’t change the world or anything, but it’s definitely worth a watch. Your appreciation for this film will depend on how much you enjoy British humor, though, because there is a lot of it in this movie. That said, the humor lands for the most part, but it’s a little awkward when it doesn’t. The central story isn’t anything mind blowing either, but it’s a sweet one for sure, especially with the titular relationship. It’s not something I’ll be rushing to watch again, yet I am happy that I saw it.

THE LAST SHOWGIRL Starring: Pamela Anderson, Jamie Lee Curtis, Dave Bautista, Brenda Song, Kiernan Shipka, and Billie Lourd Director: Gia Coppola NICK It’s clear The Last Showgirl was a labour of love for all involved, but for Pamela Anderson, in particular. Never accused of being a tremendous actress, she's great in a role that feels as if it was tailor-made for her. It's likely the best way to cap off her unique career too. She's also joined by a great supporting cast, so the acting is not the problem here. The issue is the story structure. Everything is a bit messy, and a few of the supporting characters could have used more fleshing out. Also, for a story about finality, the end should've landed better. ADRIANO The Last Showgirl just misses the mark for me. The performances are one of the obvious reasons you watch this movie, and they deliver. Pamela Anderson does something unlike anything you've ever seen from her, while Dave Bautista continues to show his range in a silent, nuanced role. Kiernan Shipka and Jamie Lee Curtis also are excellent. And admittedly, the movie is well shot and well paced, too; however, its story of re-discovering your purpose in the world felt pretty underdeveloped. It’s too rushed for its own good, ending up being ineffective. It might resonate with some, but I wanted more. QUENTIN As cliché as the story is, recalling The Wrestler and Crazy Heart , The Last Showgirl is generally effective because of the ensemble cast and fresh take of seeing this familiar tale told from a woman’s perspective. Pamela Anderson, though a bit uneven, still gives the best performance of her career as a character that perhaps she understands better than anyone else could, and she’s elevated by terrific supporting turns from Dave Bautista and Jamie Lee Curtis. Sure, some plot points could have been fleshed out much more, and I didn’t care for the multitude of literally out-of-focus camera shots, but Showgirl is more successful than not. PRESTON I grew up in the Phoenix area, and I would often join my truck-driving father on his weekly runs to Las Vegas. We would get a steak & eggs breakfast for $3.99 and circumnavigate the less glamorous areas of “The Strip.” The Last Showgirl perfectly captures the essence of the real backdrop of life in Vegas and those imperfectly fond memories. The gritty hand-held camerawork, lighting, and blurred edges inject just the right amount of grime to the glitz. The acting is terrific and I, for one, appreciate its minimalistic messaging and to-the-point storytelling. KATIE The Last Showgirl is a fleeting, poignant story of regret, nostalgia, and the impossible standards women are forced to grapple with. Pamela Anderson’s raw, honest performance as Shelly is extremely moving, and her character’s righteous anger at how women are discarded once deemed too old or not attractive enough is enhanced by Anderson’s real-life persona. She excels not only at exuding Shelly’s anger, but also her eccentricity and sense of hope, and the dreamy, soft-focus style combined with the unsteady handheld camerawork perfectly captures her nuanced character. The rest of the cast, particularly Dave Bautista (Eddie), is also fantastic, but ultimately this is Anderson’s film. PAIGE The Last Showgirl is a vulnerable film that allows Pamela Anderson to shine in her strongest performance to date. It's an intriguing character study that explores ageism in Vegas, but the overall film left me feeling a bit underwhelmed as it never quite measures up to Anderson's performance. The film relies more on montages and vibes than its actual story, so a lot of things feel underdeveloped by the time the closing credits roll since the script never delves deeply enough into its concepts or characters. This film was reviewed by Nick, Adriano, and Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival and 2024 Zurich Film Festival respectively.