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HIGHEST 2 LOWEST Starring: Denzel Washington, Jeffrey Wright, Ilfenesh Hadera, Aubrey Joseph, Elijah Wright, Michael Potts, Frederick Weller, Dean Winters, LaChanze, John Douglas Thompson, and A$AP Rocky aka Rakim Mayers Director: Spike Lee NICK It’s been a while since I’ve enjoyed a Spike Lee film as much as Highest 2 Lowest ; that’s not a knock on the director’s filmography, but more of a testament to just how good this is. Lee is firing on all cylinders, infusing the film with music, culture, and a strong commentary on power and persona. The performances match as well, with Denzel Washington giving a dynamic lead performance, Jeffrey Wright being as steady as always, and even A$AP Rocky surprising. Lee even made the unconventional orchestral score somehow work. Apple needs to improve its marketing because this is one of the best films of the year so far. AMARÚ Highest 2 Lowest is an operatic New York City love letter headlined by two of our best living actors, Denzel Washington and Jeffrey Wright, who do what they do best. Where my uncertainty takes hold all comes down to director Spike Lee’s style. It’s big, powerful, musical, and Black as hell. But it also plays like a play, with outward performances keeping you at arms length, barring the audience from truly living inside the story. I like the film, and I’m there opening weekend for the next Spike Lee Joint, but I also know I often have to learn to like Spike’s swings. ADRIANO It may come as a shock to you, but there is a new Spike Lee Joint out right now… and in its first hour, Highest 2 Lowest worried me. The score was atrocious, the staging was terrible, and the editing was awkward. But once the plot’s set in motion, it’s very entertaining. Denzel Washington's magnetism (a shoutout is owed to A$AP Rocky), an engaging examination of the exploitation of wealth in the music industry, and Lee's direction, which kept me on my toes, all worked. This needed more time in the editing room, but it’s satisfying nevertheless. Want to hear even more of our thoughts? Nick and Shak join Amarú to take A Bigger Bite out of Highest 2 Lowest HERE .

SPOILER ALERT Starring: Jim Parsons, Ben Aldridge, and Sally Field Director: Michael Showalter ADRIANO While I can definitely understand people calling Spoiler Alert simple, I was very much into this movie. Michael Showalter is a director that consistently gives bare minimum direction, and all semblances of specific styles just felt inconsistent here. However, what the film lacks in originality, it makes up for in heart. Honestly, this movie emotionally destroyed me throughout the second act, not only because of its heartbreaking plot, but also the endearing chemistry between Ben Aldridge and a career-best Jim Parsons. It was hard not to feel anything for these two, which helped make this film a nice surprise. JACOB Spoiler Alert is decent, working at its best when Jim Parsons and Ben Aldridge are running purely on their terrific chemistry, but the trappings of its cancer narrative are decidedly conventional and some filmmaking choices hamper its inherent power. Though the true story basis provides an emotional center, the film is continually interrupted by unnecessary narration and sitcom-style cut-ins, as though it doesn’t trust Aldridge and Parsons are good enough actors to sell those notes themselves. That said, it’s hardly the boomer-humor doom piece its marketing suggests, even if the presence of Sally Field and Bill Irwin are more distractions than enhancements.

APPOFENIACS Starring: Paige Searcy, Harley Bronwyn, Simran Jahani, Massi Pregoni, Will Brandt, Aaron Holiday, Chad Addison, Michael Abbott Jr., Sean Gunn, and Jermaine Fowler Director: Chris Marrs Piliero This film has been reviewed by Quentin and Nick as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of Fantastic Fest 2025. NICK Appofeniacs is the complete antithesis of a film like Coyotes . Creative kills? Check. Compelling characters? Check (Sean Gunn and Paige Searcy, in particular). Big swings? Literally and figuratively. Not only is this film unafraid to embrace how ridiculous its premise can be, it has a good time doing so. The usage of deepfake technology is well timed (and frightening if you think about how possible the given scenario is), and the incorporation of cosplay is just straight up fun. It may be due to the underwhelming nature of the screeners for this year’s festival, but Appofeniacs is easily my favourite film of Fantastic Fest 2025. QUENTIN Though not without its moments, Appofeniacs is a meandering commentary on the ways in which deepfakes are corrosive to the world around us, an especially relevant message in the current era of fake news. However, as a topic, the ills of AI has been trendy for several years, so writer-director Chris Marrs Piliero doesn’t have much to add to the conversation. Instead, he takes an idea that is already becoming overplayed and attempts to infuse it with Quentin Tarantino-style dialogue, violence, and story structure. Tarantino, he is not; we’re left with a messy knock-off that equates to “what if Tarantino directed an episode of Black Mirror ?”

SKETCH Starring: Tony Hale, D’Arcy Carden, Bianca Belle, Kue Lawrence, and Kalon Cox Director: Seth Worley NICK Director Seth Worley describes Sketch as “Inside Out meets Jurassic Park, ” which is a pretty accurate description, although I may sprinkle a little Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and Jumanji in there too. Either way, this is a fun children’s adventure with delightful visual effects, an entertaining cast of youngsters (they can get a tad annoying at times, but that just means it’s authentic), and some solid messaging. I could see this becoming required viewing for families looking for help during the necessary but difficult conversations with their children, and for that alone, I think the film succeeds. AMARÚ You have no clue what you’re in for with Sketch . On the surface, it looks like a family comedy, but it’s a horror movie through-and-through; a horror film for the whole family, and it’s freakin’ awesome. Writer/director/editor Seth Worley constructed a creatively intense and emotionally resonant thriller centered around a family drama, brilliantly portrayed by Tony Hale, Bianca Belle, and Kue Lawrence, the latter two who match Hale’s comedic timing and dramatic chops. Alongside co-stars D’Arcy Carden and Kalon Cox, Worley’s great pacing and the main trio create an honest, scary, hilarious, and impactful story about the importance of healing no matter your age. BODE Some say that grief is a monster. Writer-director Seth Worley’s feature debut, Sketch , explores this idea pretty much literally, as a child’s angry drawings - created in the wake of her mother’s death - are brought to monstrous life thanks to a magic pool. Though it’s a little too broad in its nature (especially in places where restraint would’ve been more beneficial), there’s enough heart and imagination to this Amblin-esque fantasy adventure that families could very well latch onto it, especially thanks to its fast pace, colourful visual effects, and charming cast of youngsters and veterans alike. QUENTIN I saw Sketch as a Surprise Mystery Movie, and once I saw the title screen, I expected hokey drivel like IF or Harold and the Purple Crayon . Thankfully, I couldn’t have been more wrong, as Sketch capably fits alongside the classic Amblin movies of yesteryear. Imagine Jurassic Park (there are obvious homages) but with the tween-geared “horror” sensibilities of 1989’s Little Monsters and 1995’s Jumanji . On top of that, there is an extremely resonant message about dealing with grief. As a single dude in his 40s, I’ll probably never watch this pleasant surprise again, but parents should add it to the Family Movie Night rotation immediately. This film was reviewed by Nick as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.

SPINNING GOLD Starring: Jeremy Jordan, Michelle Monaghan, Peyton List, Lyndsy Fonseca, Caylee Cowan, James Wolk, Dan Fogler, Jason Isaacs, Jay Pharoah, and Chris Redd Director: Timothy Scott Bogart QUENTIN If not for the soundtrack, Spinning Gold would have absolutely nothing going for it. It’s terribly directed, dreadfully acted, poorly written, and feels cheaply made. There are awful costumes and even worse green screen scenes. For reference, the lead actor’s last three movies were Hallmark Originals, and the writer-director, who happens to be the son of the main character, hasn’t written or directed a movie since a 2005, straight-to-streaming rom-com that is so obscure it doesn’t have a Wikipedia page or a Rotten Tomatoes score. This is the level of talent involved, and it makes for a painful watch; extra half reel for the music, though. JACOB The first rule of filmmaking is “show, don’t tell,” but if someone’s first movie experience was the dreadful Spinning Gold , they’d learn the opposite lesson. Without a doubt, this is easily one of the worst music biopics I’ve ever had the displeasure of viewing. Even after the second half finally debuts two actually coherent scenes, it can’t stop being so far up its own ass about how important it all is…and it never. stops. telling . you that. Nearly every role is irreversibly miscast, the dialogue is cringe levels of high school stage theater, and not one performance (or wig job) succeeds.

THE ORDER Starring: Jude Law, Nicholas Hoult, Tye Sheridan, Jurnee Smollett, and Marc Maron Director: Justin Kurzel NICK The Order is a feature that works because it checks all the filmmaking boxes. Nothing is flashy, it’s all just really solid. From the simple-yet-affecting score to the airtight performances, there is a real lived-in quality to this film. The action sequences are deliberate (though a little too limited), while the actions and motivations of “The Order” feel quite timely in our current climate. It’s not a horror film, but the implications of the events are quite terrifying, which only adds to the authenticity of everything. The Order is a no-nonsense police procedural, and it’s among the better ones we’ve seen in quite some time. ADRIANO I fell so hard for The Order . It wraps itself up a little too quickly, and I was a bit unsatisfied with how it concluded some storylines, but, almost from the jump, I was firmly enthralled with director Justin Kurzel's filmmaking approach to this police procedural and analysis of extreme white supremacy. On top of that, Nicholas Hoult is amazing, while Jude Law gives probably one of my favourite performances of his. Everything here is simply done well. The writing is precise, I loved the cinematography and sound work, and the tone is perfect. The Order is just a great movie. QUENTIN Simply put, The Order is good, old-fashioned filmmaking for grown-ups, with no gimmicks, no frills, and no egregious attempts to overdo it. At its core is a compellingly intense true story that plays like a mix of Hell or High Water and BlacKkKlansman , all of which is driven by terrific (but not necessarily awards-worthy) performances from Jude Law and Nicholas Hoult. That said, while I could nitpick a few undercooked narrative choices, when the end result is something this riveting (not to mention beautiful to look at because the cinematography and landscapes are top shelf), it’s easier to just give yourself over to it. AMARÚ The Order is a hard-hitting crime film with solid performances from Nicholas Hoult, Jurnee Smollett, and Jude Law, but I’m not sure I’ll remember it in a couple days. The subject matter strikes a nerve, especially with current events, so I thought that I’d have some sort of visceral reaction in one way or another. But I got through it without any overly positive or negative feelings. The heist sequences are tense, but with plodding pacing between each; the direction is forceful, but the screenplay is a tonal whiplash. Overall, The Order has its inconsistencies, but delivers a pretty good watch nonetheless. 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.

ANORA Starring: Mikey Madison, Mark Eydelshteyn, Karren Karagulian, Vache Tovmasyan, Yura Borisov, and Luna Sofia Miranda Director: Sean Baker QUENTIN Director Simon Baker’s Anora is easily his most accessible, commercial, and polished film to date. It’s also his best, electric with chaotic energy that rarely abates as it sprints through a sex- and laugh-filled comedy of errors. At the center of the whirlwind is Mikey Madison, who gives a star-making performance that is funny, fierce, empowering, and ultimately heartbreaking. If you can imagine Pretty Woman mixed with Uncut Gems , then you’ve got a pretty good idea of what to expect. It’s worthy of any and all awards consideration it’s surely to garner. ADRIANO To say writer/director Sean Baker has upped his game would be an understatement. Anora is a laugh-out-loud comedy, a non-judgmental look at the lives of sex workers, an absolute off-the-walls thriller, and a tragic exploration of class and the ways people are struggling to make it by. In many ways, Anora does it all, especially considering the fantastic ensemble, led by a magnum opus performance from Mikey Madison. It made me laugh hysterically. It made me grip my seat. It made my jaw drop. It broke my heart. It’s a one-of-a-kind, entertaining joyride that is Baker's masterpiece. NICK I'm not sure exactly what I was expecting Anora to be, but it certainly wasn't what I got. Director Sean Baker offers up a film a lot more zany than I'd assumed going in, and it works in the film’s favour. Mikey Madison (Ani) is bound to receive overwhelming critical acclaim for her lead performance, but it's the way Baker surrounds her with rich side characters that really fills out the story. There is a bit of a pacing issue in the middle that slows momentum, but the final 20 minutes (including a poignant closing shot) refreshes any good will that was lost. PAIGE Sean Baker’s distinct slice-of-life storytelling style never ceases to amaze me. His latest slice, Anora , is a shining example of a fairytale hit hard by reality. Baker masterfully directs the pandemonium that ensues from one trying to capture the American dream. Even though I longed for more character depth, Mikey Madison (Ani) is a formidable force that delivers a star-making performance. In addition to that, the rest of the ensemble plays off each other incredibly well. And while there are many laughs to be had throughout this stunning firecracker of a film, the movie’s ending will undoubtedly bring you to your knees. AMARÚ It took some time for Anora to get going. Not that it’s bad, but being more observational than plot-driven to start, I wasn’t as invested in the day-to-day happenings. But Mikey Madison is excellent as the title character, and her charm kept me intrigued as to where the film was headed. So when shit hit the fan, I appreciated the deep setup writer/director Sean Baker provided for the ensuing chaos. Chaos that was a bit repetitive and long-winded, but was held together by an honest script and hilarious supporting characters, especially Yura Borisov, whose underplayed sincerity shines amongst the crazy. This film was reviewed by Quentin, Nick, and Adriano as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival and 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, respectively.

SPRINGSTEEN: DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Jeremy Strong, Paul Walter Hauser, Stephen Graham, and Odessa Young Director: Scott Cooper ADRIANO Better Man aside, I haven’t liked the musician biopics that we've gotten recently. Deliver Me from Nowhere solves a lot of those movies’ problems while still being mediocre. I appreciate the non-sensationalized approach to Bruce Springsteen (Jeremy Allen White), sticking to the ground and taking a more introspective angle with White's focus honing in on his subject’s silent darkness. Unfortunately, despite the best of intentions, writer/director Scott Cooper never once made me feel emotionally invested enough in Springsteen. With its dull presentation, this was well-meaning but still lacklustre. QUENTIN Deliver Me from Nowhere avoids nearly all the musical biopic clichés — tragic upbringing, addiction, ego, womanizing, hero worship, the rise-fall-rise story structure — but that’s because it’s not really about Bruce Springsteen (Jeremy Allen White), the person. It’s a biopic for his folk record Nebraska. Frankly, I learned almost nothing about the man other than he suffers from seemingly mild depression, but I learned a lot about the making of this one album that, honestly, I had never heard of before. With zero familiarity, that’s only interesting to a point, resulting in a movie that is a little bland even if the performances are top notch. PAIGE Deliver Me from Nowhere is more of a character study than your typical paint-by-numbers musician biopic as the film focuses on the man behind all the noise. Despite some sluggish pacing and wonky dialogue, its somber, rhythmic, and introspective tone fits perfectly with what director Scott Cooper aims to capture about this specific chapter of Bruce Springsteen’s (Jeremy Allen White) life. For his part, White delivers a vulnerable yet nuanced performance that truly encapsulates Springsteen while still adding his own touch to “The Boss.” Just like the Nebraska album, this film is raw and bare bones. NICK I understand exactly what director Scott Cooper was going for with Deliver Me from Nowhere . He wanted a film that mirrored the homegrown and stripped down feel of the album Nebraska . He succeeds in that, but, unfortunately, it doesn’t make for a particularly interesting film. I’ll give credit for escaping most of the clichés you often see in music biopics, but the angle of depression doesn't come through well on screen. And although Jeremy Allen White is great when he takes the stage as Bruce Springsteen, he doesn’t connect the same with the emotional beats; really impressed with his vocals, though.

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MY OLD ASS Starring: Maisy Stella, Aubrey Plaza, Percy Hynes White, Maddie Ziegler, Kerrice Brooks, Maria Dizzia, Al Goulem, Seth Isaac Johnson, and Carter Trozzolo Director: Megan Park PAIGE My Old Ass shamelessly wears its heart on its sleeve. It’s such a charming and tender flick about cherishing the moments and people we have while we have them, and its themes truly struck a chord with me. I laughed. I cried. I laughed some more. The entire ensemble is beaming with charisma and has such incredible chemistry, but it’s writer/director Megan Park, who, no pun intended, hit it out of the park with this film. She once again demonstrates her ability to convey subtleties in a compelling and powerful manner. Regardless of age, anyone can appreciate this coming-of-age film. AMARÚ My Old Ass doesn’t feel like a movie. It, instead, is like hanging out with close friends and family, lounging through unscripted situations, especially during the visibly improvised scenes between Aubrey Plaza and Maisy Stella. So, my feelings are as hard to explain as the feasibility of the film’s main premise. It stands firmly on vibes, with much of its dialogue seeming awkward and non-cinematic. However, the emotions it evokes, encapsulating how important it is to live in moments and treasure time, are so powerfully relatable and incredibly sweet that chilling with these old asses ironically turned into one of my favorite movies this year. QUENTIN Although not without its charms, My Old Ass is a rote coming-of-age indie movie; the kind of movie that comes and goes without leaving much of a lasting impression, belonging in the same tier as somewhat forgettable (but not necessarily bad) options like Wildflower and Suncoast as opposed to the tier with real staying power like Eighth Grade or Lady Bird . Plus, fair warning, if you’re here for the sci-fi gimmick and Aubrey Plaza, both are almost an afterthought, with Plaza even being miscast a bit. Still, if this style of breezy story about finding yourself and youthful romance is your jam, it’ll serve its purpose. NICK Imagine you had a chance to speak to your older self… What would you ask them? What would you want to know? My Old Ass explores this idea, but unfortunately, it's a much smaller part of the film than you'd hope. The majority of the time is spent simply telling what is an admittedly sweet love story - one of familial love, romantic love, and self love, all told through the breakout performance of Maisy Stella. Had the initial concept made for a larger part of the film, it would have been better, but as it is, you only have a sweet (albeit formulaic) coming-of-age tale.

THE WONDERFUL STORY OF HENRY SUGAR Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Ralph Fiennes, Dev Patel, Ben Kingsley, Rupert Friend, and Richard Ayoade Director: Wes Anderson QUENTIN Full disclosure: I’m not a Wes Anderson fan. I find his work to be style over substance, resting entirely on his personal brand of twee whimsy, candy-colored pastels, and hipster aesthetics. So, it should come as no surprise when I say that I hated The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar . Even at just 38 minutes, it was painful to endure. The actors don’t so much give performances as they are reading Roald Dahl’s story to you, complete with fourth-wall breaks, acting it out in the way you might act out a bedtime story for your kids. Meanwhile, Anderson bludgeons you to death with his trademark style. KATIE The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar is director Wes Anderson doing what he does best for just shy of 40 minutes. It’s sharp, meticulously designed, and the starry cast perfectly delivers the dry, witty dialogue in Anderson’s signature style. Roald Dahl’s distinctive authorial voice, alongside the fact that the source material is about storytelling, marries perfectly with Anderson’s unique aesthetic and habit of drawing attention to the artifice of filmmaking. Whereas I found this approach irritating in some of his previous films, mostly in The French Dispatch , it’s delightful in this case, emphasizing the quirky, whimsical nature of the story. PHILL Wes Anderson films often feel akin to watching a stage play as opposed to more conventional films, and The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar takes that idea even further. This is almost like watching a picture book come to life. The dialogue is rapid even by Anderson standards, and the movie is filled with his usual thematic fashion of pastel-coloured symmetrical shots, not to mention the entertaining performances. Still, whilst very enjoyable, it’s a far cry from being Wes Anderson’s best work. It’s too fast and too quirky for its own good, often feeling like it is trying to speedrun the Roald Dahl story. CALEB The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar is a delightful way to spend forty minutes. Unsurprisingly, director Wes Anderson and author Roald Dahl are a match made in heaven. Nearly everything about Anderson’s signature style compliments the fantastical source material: the dry wit, the whimsy, the dollhouse aesthetic…it all works perfectly in tandem with Dahl’s story. The whole cast does a good job too, but Dev Patel particularly stands out, easily providing the most entertaining performance here. Henry Sugar is a fun, thoughtful little story, and an easy recommendation for Wes Anderson and Roald Dahl fans alike. This film was reviewed by Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2023 Venice International Film Festival.