OPPENHEIMER Starring: Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh, Josh Hartnett, Casey Affleck, Jason Clarke, Alden Ehrenreich, David Dastmalchian, David Krumholtz, Benny Safdie, Kenneth Branagh, Rami Malek, Matthew Modine, Tom Conti, Dane DeHaan, Jefferson Hall, and Tony Goldwyn Director: Christopher Nolan NICK Oppenheimer is less a movie about the creation of the atomic bomb and more a deeply personal look into the mind and psyche of J. Robert Oppenheimer, played by a determined Cillian Murphy. This performance-driven film features a stacked supporting cast that could justifiably warrant praise for anyone, so needless to say, it will make awards voting quite interesting. It’s the story, however, that gave me some pause. It’s definitely engaging… though it’s also needlessly drawn out; it’s certainly informative… but it occasionally feels lecture-like. It’s very well done… but does it rank amongst my favourite Christopher Nolan films? Not quite. ADRIANO Oppenheimer is the best Christopher Nolan movie since Inception . His latest efforts, while wonderfully directed, were severely lacking when it came to the script. This time around, however, Nolan opts for a layered character study that fascinates and haunts at the same time. Also featuring Ludwig Göransson’s terrific score and a great ensemble, led by a mesmerizing Cillian Murphy, the film acts not just as a history lesson, but a mortifying look at the ramifications of this moment in history. The ending made me shake to my core, and I’m gonna think about this movie for a while. QUENTIN Over the course of his career, Christopher Nolan has become known as a director that pushes the envelope in terms of practical effects and story structure, but while Oppenheimer is very good, it’s more straightforward historical drama than spectacle. The acting is terrific, with Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr. early front runners for Oscar nods, but it lacks the “wow” factor typically present in Nolan’s films. It’s also way too long, with entire subplots (notably Florence Pugh’s character) and transitional flourishes that could have been cut. Still, it’s Nolan, so Oppenheimer is better than most movies; it’s just not what I would call “Nolan Good.” AMARÚ Oppenheimer is a filmmaking masterclass told in three parts: the prologue, a 45-minute introspective into the man himself; the bomb, a 90-minute bottle of intensity racing against the speed of human progress; and the aftermath, a 45-minute epilogue highlighting the consequences of pitting powerful egos against morality. Director Christopher Nolan seamlessly crafts these parts into a thrilling narrative filled with Oscar-worthy performances. Should-be-nominees Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr., and Emily Blunt lead an all-star cast through this striking history lesson, with not one wasted character, plot point, or brilliantly scored second. Nolan continues to prove he doesn’t miss. JACOB Even as its third hour works less than its first two, Oppenheimer sticks in my mind as one of Christopher Nolan’s most accomplished efforts, an examination of man-made horror and its fluctuating necessities buoyed by dread and inescapable nuclear age anxieties. The biopic is largely driven by its breakneck, Oscar-worthy editing and terrific performances, while its score, cinematography, and production design are all destined to be major contenders as well. Cillian Murphy is fantastic as the titular father of the atomic bomb, as is Robert Downey Jr. playing Lewis Strauss. This thing is going to be an awards juggernaut.

NOPE Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Steven Yeun, Brandon Perea, and Michael Wincott Director: Jordan Peele JACOB Nope may not boast the subtext of Get Out or the ambition of Us , but it’s every bit as worthy of the praise heaped upon it. Expertly shot by cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema and featuring stellar sound design, filmmaker Jordan Peele’s latest is a genuine thrill ride meant to be seen on the largest theater screen possible. Keke Palmer and Daniel Kaluuya hold the gaze of every gorgeous frame even as scene-stealer Brandon Perea shares it, and the set-pieces are as tense as the best of Peele’s other works. This is the quintessential summer thriller of 2022. AMARÚ Filmmaker Jordan Peele has mastered the intense slow burn. His third directorial outing, Nope , takes every second of its 131-minute runtime to engulf your attention and immerse you into this world. That same care is taken with its endearing cast too. Peele capitalizes on each actors’ strength, fully utilizing Keke Palmer’s charm, Daniel Kaluuya’s stoicism, Michael Wincott’s intensity, and Brandon Perea’s earnestness, all of which aid in marrying you to this harmonious ensemble through a story that is best entered sight unseen. Jordan Peele’s mind is wild, and Nope officially places him amongst the ranks of best event-movie directors. QUENTIN From a technical perspective, Nope is probably filmmaker Jordan Peele’s best film yet. You can really see his growth as a filmmaker in the imagery, cinematography, and use of light and sound. From an entertainment standpoint, while Nope is still good, it’s also the weakest of his three offerings. It’s slow moving enough that the film feels longer than it actually is, and it feels so much like Signs that the originality Peele is known for takes a bit of a backseat. Again though, let me reiterate, it’s still good and worth your time; it’s just not as good as Us or Get Out . PAIGE Nope is out of this world, and big ol’ YUP in my book. It’s this generation's Close Encounters of the Third Kind , but with enough originality to make it one of the most stunning and eerie films in recent memory. Unfortunately, I was never fully invested in these characters, which kept me in the clouds throughout the film, but that doesn’t take away from the great direction of Jordan Peele, the amazing sound design, or the performances. You will look up into the sky differently after seeing this flick. ADRIANO Insert obligatory “more like ‘Yup’” joke here. But seriously, Nope truly is great. It’s not perfect in any sense of the word, as the characters are kinda one-note and don’t have much of an arc, but Nope is all about spectacle. Writer/director Jordan Peele definitely delivers on that front. Visually, it looks stunning, thanks in part to cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema, and it’s one of those movies that I feel benefits from an IMAX screen. Plus, as is always the case with Peele, it’s a well-written and creepy puzzle box of a film with layers that may take multiple viewings to peel off.

CHICKEN RUN: DAWN OF THE NUGGET Starring: Zachary Levi, Thandiwe Newton, Bella Ramsey, Lynn Ferguson, Josie Sedgwick-Davies, Jane Horrocks, Imelda Staunton, Romesh Ranganathan, Daniel Mays, Miranda Richardson, David Bradley, Nick Mohammed, and Peter Serafinowicz Director: Sam Fell KATIE Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget is a strong sequel to the 2000 original, bringing everything I’ve come to expect from Aardman Animations: a distinct animation style, quirky comedy, slapstick humour, and endearing characters. There is something that's so wonderfully charming and creative about its unique handmade quality that makes the action set-pieces and visual gags even more entertaining. It even retains some of the darker humour from the original, using it to highlight thought-provoking themes about the realities of factory farming. Overall, this is a fun and crowd-pleasing film, perfect for family viewing. ADRIANO The first Chicken Run was never my favourite movie, but I always admired its quirkiness and innovation. Dawn of the Nugget offers essentially the same as what the first had to offer, and that's kind of the problem. There is some new interesting world-building, but beyond that, the central plot and ideas are more or less the same, just with less laughs and more plot lines that lead to nothing. The Aardman signature stop-motion animation style is as charming as ever, but in terms of a sequel to a classic, it falls too short for comfort.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD Starring: Anthony Mackie, Danny Ramirez, Harrison Ford, Shira Haas, Carl Lumbly, Xosha Roquemore, Giancarlo Esposito, and Tim Blake Nelson Director: Julius Onah NICK I don't need to tell you the MCU has lost a lot of its shine recently, although I don't think it's been as bad as others believe it to be. With Captain America: Brave New World , I'm starting to see their point. Aside from another great turn from Harrison Ford, this is a hollow sequel to The Incredible Hulk that nobody asked for. Plagued by re-shoots that led to choppy editing and shoehorned characters, all this film does is question Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson as a leader while doing nothing to prove that he is one. Consider me nervous. Reed Richards, you may be our last hope. QUENTIN Have you ever tried to recreate your grandmother’s recipe, but it just doesn’t taste the same? That’s probably because it wasn’t “made with love.” Sadly, Brave New World is a lot like The Winter Soldier , minus the love. Don’t get me wrong, it’s fine – lower tier MCU is still decently good – but there simply isn’t much soul here, exacerbated by a very shoehorned-in, post-election commentary. Otherwise, it’s a weird blend of half-sequels to Edward Norton’s The Incredible Hulk and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier . Plus, the trailers absolutely spoil Red Hulk (Harrison Ford), which should have been an exciting “Cap catching Mjolnir” moment. ADRIANO I can't keep giving the MCU movies any passes. I thought Captain America: Brave New World was just awful. Harrison Ford was committed, I'll give it that. But aside from him, the visuals are repulsive, the editing is nauseating, the political aspects are void of anything, and the end credit scene is laughable. Worst of all, for a film trying to set up Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) as the new leader, it's so focused on being a sequel to The Incredible Hulk that they gave us no reason to care about him beyond a shoehorned emotional beat an hour-and-a-half in. AMARÚ There’s a good, maybe even great movie somewhere in Captain America: Brave New World (I mean, just look at some of Carl Lumbly's, Giancarlo Esposito's, and Harrison Ford’s performances), but you can feel the fear the studio had after initial test screenings because Marvel frankensteined multiple reshoots together to make a lackluster, fangless story that is way too easy for our new Cap (Anthony Mackie) to investigate. Its biggest fault is that it wants to tell, instead of show, anything and everything it can, leaving Mackie, the cast, and the audience with nothing more than a stepping stone towards the end of this inconsistent saga. ROBERT Emotional resonance used to be an indelible part of my MCU watches, but that has been few and far between since Avengers: Endgame . Tears and shouts of elation have been replaced by tacit responses of “Hey, look at that” and “That’s cool.” Captain America: Brave New World lives in that middling reaction pool like it was born in it. The failures of this movie are not a reflection on Anthony Mackie or Harrison Ford, as they put forth effort, but they seem to be the only ones. The Marvel machine is smoking and needs a ten-point restoration. PAIGE I want to preface my review by saying this isn’t a terrible movie; however, it certainly isn’t a good one, either. Even while I enjoyed some aspects of Brave New World , such as Harrison Ford's portrayal of President Thaddeus Ross, there are a lot of issues that you can't overlook. Despite Anthony Mackie's best efforts to carry this film across the finish line, it is dragged down by its disjointed and flimsy plot. Furthermore, it’s supposed to be a political thriller, yet it lacks a political stance while being too dull to be considered a thriller. BODE I’ve been critical of the MCU for some time now, and it seems I’m not alone in that sentiment these days. However, as someone who used to be a fan, I still go into Marvel films with an open mind, which was no different for Brave New World . Sadly, I found it somewhat mid-tier because there are problems abound, from the messy narrative to the poor CGI. It does have its moments though, particularly with Carl Lumbly, and I admired that it was lean and snark-free. It's nothing great (or even particularly good), but the MCU has delivered worse. BRYAN On paper, there is a lot to admire about Brave New World . However, I can’t say the same about how it’s brought to life on screen. Aside from a good outing from Harrison Ford, everything else left me feeling nothing - no excitement, no frustration - just disappointment. For a political thriller, it lacks any sort of thrills, and for a Marvel flick, it is tonally inconsistent and visually sloppy. Will the MCU ever be great again?

LITTLE BROTHER Starring: John Cena, Eric André, Michelle Monaghan, Christopher Meloni, Sherry Cola, Ego Nwodim, Caleb Hearon, Bryce Gheisar, Pilot Bunch, and Ben Ahlers Director: Matt Spicer QUENTIN Little Brother is the most laughless comedy I’ve seen in ages. The “unwanted houseguest” premise certainly isn’t new, but it’s such a relatable template that a few funny set pieces can make it broadly enjoyable. This movie doesn’t have those, instead opting for woefully unfunny jokes and poor casting. John Cena has demonstrated strong comedic chops and a willingness to get weird with them, so why make him the straight man? Eric André is at least nominally a comedian, but he can’t act. In fact, everything he does here feels like a leftover sketch idea from The Eric André Show . Direct-to-Netflix movies are rarely this bad. NICK Little Brother is a throwback comedy — complete with post-credit gag reel — but it isn't a good one. Unlike John Cena's previous team-up films (Jackpot! , Ricky Stanicky , Vacation Friends , I could go on…), he’s poorly used here as director Matt Spicer extinguishes his charm and lovable aloofness for a mean-spirited and unfunny character. When you pair that with whatever Eric André is doing, the poorly written script, and familiarity of it all, maybe it’s time Cena takes a break from this pattern of straight-to-streaming comedies. That said, they’ve never been quite this bad. ROBERT I saw Little Brother prior to it dropping on Netflix: it was called You, Me, and Dupree , and it worked great as a concept in the 2000s. I think this was an attempt to recapture the magic of that type of comedy, something John Cena was able to do with Blockers , but as a streamer in 2026, it didn’t hit those highs. I liked the chemistry of Cena and Eric André on occasion — and more Christopher Meloni in comedies, please and thank you — but it didn’t sustain its funniness, which it needed to do. ADRIANO Little Brother is exactly the type of safe comedy that would drop directly on Netflix. The narrative beats are the ones you think are going to happen the second you read the concept. But the biggest crime, beyond not being very funny, is that it’s a little too soft, and it's extra noticeable when you have famous crazy man Eric André (outside of a few bits) playing it straight. If anything, the film's strength is its heart, which worked for the most part, and John Cena flexing his comedy muscles again. But it's a forgettable comedy above everything else. BODE I didn’t expect Ingrid Goes West director Matt Spicer’s long-awaited return to feature films coming in the form of the Farrelly Brothers-esque Netflix comedy Little Brother , but sometimes comebacks arrive in unexpected packages. Perhaps more unexpected is how often I found myself rather enjoying it. You can see its beats coming a mile away, and I could’ve gone without its turn towards the sentimental late in the game. But when it comes to its R-rated shenanigans, it’s funny when it counts, and everyone involved is game enough to make it work. It’s certainly no classic, but it’s at least a decent distraction.

BAD BOYS: RIDE OR DIE Starring: Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Jacob Scipio, Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig, Paola Nuñez, Eric Dane, Ioan Gruffudd, Joe Pantoliano, and Rhea Seehorn Directors: Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah AMARÚ Bad Boys: Ride or Die really should’ve been called Bad Boys 4 Life because it’s everything I feared the previous entry was going to be. Whereas directors Adil & Bilall previously balanced Michael Bay’s grandeur with well-shot stunt choreography, surprising character development, and in-depth storytelling, Ride or Die is paper-thin predictable with chopped-to-hell, over-stylized action set pieces. Will Smith and Martin Lawrence are still a dynamic pair, so there’s fun to be had, especially one scene that will go down as a franchise best. Unfortunately, this entry executes that patented entertainment at twice the speed with half the payoff; that, sadly, doesn’t compare. QUENTIN Bad Boys: Ride or Die isn’t awful, but it’s like someone ran a Bad Boys script through a Mission: Impossible and Fast & Furious script polisher, then filmed it with overly stylized but oddly lifeless direction through half of a John Wick Instagram filter. It even out-Bays notoriously bombastic (and franchise-starting) director Michael Bay at parts. Will Smith and Martin Lawrence still have nice chemistry, and there are a few nostalgic callbacks, from cameos to certain camera angles, but….ehhh. Amusing, but never funny; actiony, but never exciting - this is about what I expected of the last one, so I was just one movie too early.

VENOM: THE LAST DANCE Starring: Tom Hardy, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Juno Temple, Rhys Ifans, Stephen Graham, Peggy Lu, Clark Backo, Alanna Ubach, and Andy Serkis Director: Kelly Marcel AMARÚ The Last Dance might be the best of the Venom trilogy, as easy as that is, but it’s still a predictably stupid, exposition-filled, macguffin-heavy, surface-level movie. Yet, even with all that…and I can’t believe I’m saying this…I kinda enjoyed it. The new cast members cared about their stereotypical roles (especially an always invested Chiwetel Ejiofor), there’s only one irredeemably dumb scene whereas the remaining silliness has some heart, and the action is surprisingly intense. Enough so, that even with its weirdly flat ending, I found the fun Tom Hardy seems to really have in making these films. ADRIANO While I was never a fan of the Venom movies, The Last Dance is a new low. The previous two films had an (almost) entertaining self-awareness, but aside from some silly bits from time to time, this movie takes itself bizarrely seriously. It tries to deepen the relationship of its central characters, but it falls flat with sloppy action and an exceptionally large amount of exposition. And the ending is laughably bad. You can say I don't know how to have fun all you want, but this is yet another soulless 2024 comic book movie that wound up a disaster. QUENTIN Objectively speaking, as a superhero movie, The Last Dance isn’t great. It’s bogged down with an absurd amount of exposition, plot holes you could drive a truck through, an in-name-only and mostly faceless villain, generic end-of-the-world stakes, and a CGI-laden finale that is so poorly done that it’s hard to see what is even happening. All that said, I would watch Venom and Eddie (Tom Hardy) bicker and banter for 10 more movies. Their dynamic makes for a delightful bromantic comedy, and I genuinely laughed out loud more watching this than I have at most every other comedy this year. It’s the definition of dumb fun.

SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE Starring: Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Brian Tyree Henry, Luna Lauren Velez, Jake Johnson, Jason Schwartzman, Issa Rae, Karan Soni, Daniel Kaluuya, Oscar Isaac, and Shea Whigham Directors: Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson AMARÚ Only twice in my movie watching lifetime has a film left me utterly speechless. Across the Spider-Verse is the third (Inception and Blindspotting are the others). It took two watches to formulate thoughts substantial enough to describe it because it’s grand in every facet of the word. The transformative animation tops what we thought couldn’t be topped, and the voice cast is so talented that every character is special no matter the screen time. Yet, the most epic part of this The Empire Strikes Back -level sequel is the grounded, introspective story. It’s been 13 years since an animated Best Picture nominee. There shouldn’t be a 14th. JACOB As both part one of its own story and a sequel to the greatest Spider-Man movie ever made, Across the Spider-Verse is one of the most singularly ambitious and creatively realized superhero films ever put to screen. Without question one of the best movies of the year to date, this continuation of the Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) saga elevates and challenges its predecessor on nearly every possible level. It’s less of a joke-fest, but the characters are deeper, the art direction is somehow even more stunning, and the storytelling is second to none. One hundred words cannot adequately capture how blown away I was. NICK It's no surprise that the standout achievement of Across the Spider-Verse is the animation. It is innovative and stunning, bringing pages of a comic book to screen and creating a work of art worthy of a museum. It's more than just a visual feast, though. The voice work is great, and it is easily the best portrayal of the Multiverse that Marvel has done. The only things working against the film are a cliffhanger ending and an inability to ace things in the humor department. I give the first film the edge, but this is nothing if not a worthy successor. QUENTIN In its individual elements, Across the Spider-Verse is perfect in nearly every way. As a sequel, an animated film, a superhero movie, a comic book movie, and an Easter Egg deliverer…it’s nearly flawless. The story is equal parts poignant, meta, relatable, and fantastical while exploring themes that capture what it’s like to be a teenager, including self-doubt, young love, parental expectations, and the transition from boy to man. It’s also a great commentary on comic book canon and how strictly it needs to be adhered to. It’s so close to getting a perfect score, if only it weren’t for that pesky “to be continued…” cliffhanger ending. ADRIANO I still haven’t picked my jaw up off the ground since watching Across the Spider-Verse . It’s a genuine work of art that plays with just about every single animation style to make for one of the most stunning cinematic experiences I can remember. But beyond that, it’s so character-focused that the film’s high visual ambitions feel like they are only there to compliment the character work, and the final hour is so thrilling and wild that I don’t think I blinked once. The cliffhanger ending won’t make everybody happy, but it sure made me excited for the next one.

ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET Starring: Abby Ryder Fortson, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates, Benny Safdie, Elle Graham, Amari Price, Katherine Kupferer, Isol Young, and Echo Kellum Director: Kelly Fremon Craig JACOB While not quite as strong as her previous film, The Edge of Seventeen , Kelly Fremon Craig once again establishes her underpraised directorial skills with the affecting adaptation of Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret . Even for those who haven’t read the novel (such as myself), Craig’s delicate handling of the sometimes uncomfortably real journey through female adolescence wrings charm out of every scene, co-courtesy of a great lead performance by Abby Ryder Fortson and the secret weapon that is the supporting cast. Some subplots and character journeys are dropped somewhat unceremoniously, but their eventual exclusions fit within the story being told anyway. ADRIANO I went into this film unfamiliar with the book, and yet I found Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret to be a delightful and honest coming-of-age tale. As a male who, at best, has lapsed from religion, I thought Margaret’s (Abby Ryder Fortson) personal and physical journey oddly resonated with me in ways that were ugly and endearing, especially with Fortson and the fantastic supporting cast killing it. I don’t think all the plot threads end in a satisfying fashion, but I got the emotions that I hope for from a movie like this. I would happily watch it again.

THE LEGEND OF OCHI Starring: Helena Zengel, Willem Dafoe, Finn Wolfhard, and Emily Watson Director: Isaiah Saxon NICK You’re going to hear this phrase in plenty of The Legend of Ochi reviews, but there’s no other way to describe it: this is A24's take on an 80s Amblin film. It even uses animatronics and puppetry to enhance its nostalgia. Having said that, it can be a bit messy due to some of the narrative shortcuts it takes, and although that won’t be as noticeable to the children who watch, this is a family film, so you want everyone to enjoy and follow. It’s fine for what it is, but some refining would have made it better. The little Ochi is adorable, though. ADRIANO There's a clear goal in mind in The Legend of Ochi to recapture the magic of 80s fantasy-family films, and in that regard, there is success. It resides in a bizarre alt-reality setting that the movie has a lot of fun with, down to the gorgeous cinematography and score. The movie soars highest when focusing on Helena Zengel and the adorable Ochi creature and less on the family drama stuff. That part gets a little messy, but the "accepting your weirdness" aspect of the core plot was endearing and cute enough to hold my attention throughout.

THE RUNNING MAN Starring: Glen Powell, Josh Brolin, Colman Domingo, Jayme Lawson, Lee Pace, Katy O’Brian, Michael Cera, William H. Macy, Daniel Ezra, and Emilia Jones Director: Edgar Wright AMARÚ For a movie tailor-made to fit Edgar Wright’s stylish directorial flair, The Running Man is surprisingly muted. That’s probably because it vacillated tones so often that the visuals could never settle into any kind of groove, and that’s the film's biggest issue. While Glen Powell goes full ham-fisted fuck the system, the story turns from schlock to serious and back so quickly that characters, plot points, and action bits arrive and disappear in a flash. If we’re going to pay homage to 80s camp, then stick to it; otherwise, what’s left is a lot of false starts to fun ideas that often fizzle out. ADRIANO The Running Man is the most disappointed I've been this year. That's not to say it's bad; it has some fun energy and entertainment value, thanks in part to Glen Powell's movie-star charisma, alongside Colman Domingo chewing the hell out of his scenes. However, Edgar Wright's signature freneticism is oddly absent, aside from a few split-second moments, making the action uncharacteristically flat. It's a serviceable action-comedy at worst, but with an extra dose of punches being pulled with its totalitarianism messaging. I wouldn't be this upset had it not been Wright, but it's too forgettable for such an amazing filmmaker. PAIGE For most of the runtime of The Running Man, I was quite entertained. The cat and mouse chases and action sequences were fun as hell throughout, and Glen Powell proves he has the charisma to be an action star. Where the movie goes off the rails for me is in its third act. By that point it becomes tiresome, as it continuously beats you over the head with its themes, and the story has nowhere near the depth needed to make me fully care about what it’s trying to say. Overall, it has a lot of ingredients to be a great action movie, but it’s missing the impact needed to leave a lasting impression. BODE I’ll probably always have some affection for director Edgar Wright given that he’s made some of my favourite movies ever. But between Last Night in Soho and, now, The Running Man , he’s on an alarming trend of being unable to stick the landing after promising starts. Though it lacks his signature style and its cultural commentary isn’t particularly insightful, the first two-thirds of this are still pretty fun, thanks to some solid setpieces and a game cast. However, the third act becomes so overstuffed that it practically runs out of steam before its conclusion. It’s serviceable as is, but I had hoped for more. ROBERT It is interesting how “fun,” in terms of a movie-watching experience, can span the spectrum of positive to negative based on our expectations. For Edgar Wright and The Running Man , given the climate of 2025 action movies, fun shouldn’t just be written off; however, given our history with this filmmaker, it is. The practicality of the action setpieces and the bombast are worthy of Wright’s imagination, but the inability to thread the tonal needle keeps everything off kilter. Confusion abounds, especially in the third act when the plot is dragged out illogically and without purpose. Cool film, but it lacks a binding agent. QUENTIN Given director Edgar Wright’s reputation, it’s surprising The Running Man is so flat. On paper, it has all the elements of an adrenaline-fueled thrill ride: a fun premise, excellent source material, rich and timely themes, a skilled filmmaker in Wright, and Glen Powell’s roguish charisma. However, in execution, those elements come together to generate dispassionate indifference. It boasts a fast-paced glossiness that sublimates a fun time at the movies, but that shine is a superficial shell covering for a rushed story, complete lack of character depth, and action scenes that barely get the blood pumping. Overall, The Running Man is forgettably fine, but ultimately disappointing. NICK Director Edgar Wright paired with Glen Powell to remake one of Arnold’s classics? That should be easy money. Yet, somehow, The Running Man is uninspired and forgettable. Wright commits a cardinal cinema sin by showing what this film could have been through the Michael Cera scene (the clear highlight), which emphasizes just how flat everything else looks and feels. Even Glen Powell struggles to elevate the material beyond middling. I had high hopes for this one, but it’s, at best, no better than some of the straight to streaming actioners we've gotten this year. Want to hear even more of our thoughts? Nick, Adriano, and Amarú join Matt to take A Bigger Bite out of The Running Man HERE .

ON THE COME UP Starring: Jamila C. Gray, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Lil Yachty, Mike Epps, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Justin Martin, Titus Makin, Michael Cooper Jr., Sanaa Lathan, and Method Man Director: Sanaa Lathan QUENTIN You know, if I’m being honest, there isn’t anything truly bad about On the Come Up . The acting is mostly serviceable (if a little CW-ish), and the pedestrian story is decent enough. However, it’s essentially a YA version of 8 Mile , which is not something I needed in my life. And, most importantly, most of the raps in the movie are awful, which is a major issue when the main character is constantly being hyped as a skilled and natural rhymer. All in all, the fact that this movie is being released direct-to-streaming on Paramount+ feels right for what it brings to the table. ADRIANO On The Come Up is all familiarity with nothing interesting added. It’s not without its entertainment value…the rap battle sequences can be fun, and Jamila Gray is a great lead and potential star in the making…but the script is so damn basic. I easily guessed everything that was going to happen five minutes into the movie. Luckily, there is a good version of this movie out there already. It’s called 8 Mile . This film was reviewed by Quentin and Adriano as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival.