TROUBLE MAN Starring: Michael Jai White, Cliff "Method Man" Smith, Gillian White, Noah Fleder, Theodore Park, Levy Tran, Alani “La La” Anthony, Mike Epps, and Orlando Jones Director: Michael Jai White KATIE I had a lot of fun with Trouble Man . The martial-arts combat is well-choreographed, sometimes wacky, and very engaging. I appreciated the blaxploitation influence, and the script is very self-aware and funny. Michael Jai White, a very likeable screen presence, is fantastic in the lead role, bringing boundless smooth charm and impressive physical capabilities. Method Man is also hilarious and perfect alongside his character. It’s difficult to overlook the terrible CGI in the final act and other constraints of the low budget, but I was thoroughly entertained, enjoyed the action, and laughed out loud a lot. QUENTIN Director and star Michael Jai White delivers an instant cult classic with Trouble Man ; a self-aware, blaxploitation, B-movie homage set in modern-day Atlanta that works as a spiritual sequel to Black Dynamite . And when I say B-movie, that’s with the most capital of Bs. There are shoddy effects, cheap sets, choppy edits, and genre- and era- specific shot framing, all of which is done intentionally and with love. However, that is juxtaposed with legitimately well-done martial-arts choreography, hilarious one-liners that made me laugh out loud, and White’s authentic charm and charisma. If movies like this were all White ever did, I’d watch every damn one.

APORIA Starring: Judy Greer, Edi Gathegi, Payman Maadi, and Faithe Herman Director: Jared Moshé This film has been reviewed by Nick, Paige, and Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2023 Fantasia International Film Festival. PAIGE Director Jared Moshé’s Aporia is thought-provoking as it explores the impacts of grief and morality. The genre-bending time-travel film is a risky and chilling tale that makes you ponder about the choices we are presented with in life and the impact of the decisions we make. However, due to its middling script, it falls a little flat. While Judy Greer, Edi Gathegi, and Payman Maadi deliver solid performances, the film lacks momentum and character depth. Aporia needed more build-up for the audience to care about these characters' journeys. QUENTIN If you’re a fan of 2004’s indie time-travel movie Primer or the films of Aaron Moorhead & Justin Benson (The Endless , Something in the Dirt ), Aporia is for you. It’s the kind of slow burn, cerebral sci-fi that asks important questions…in this case, about the ethical dilemma of using a time machine to change the past for personal reasons, as well as the unintended butterfly effects…but it fails to ask them in super interesting ways. As much as I love the premise, the truth is that the movie is fairly boring. But I also thought Primer was boring, and people love that movie, so… NICK Featuring a highly interesting premise and a solid lead performance from Judy Greer, Aporia is a film stuffed with potential for a unique sci-fi tale. Unfortunately, most of that potential is unrealized. It's certainly watchable, and the focus on the consequences of changing the past and the spiral effect of trying to amend those very consequences is well done. However, its slow pacing does it no favours, and the character logic can be beyond head-scratching at times. Again, this isn’t a bad film, but as it ended, I couldn’t help thinking about how much better it could have been.

CAUSEWAY Starring: Jennifer Lawrence and Brian Tyree Henry Director: Lila Neugebauer NICK The concept of subtle storytelling is underrated, and Causeway is a great example of that. This story of healing and coming-to-terms thrives on the excellent performances from Jennifer Lawrence and Brian Tyree Henry. Although both are more subdued than their usual fare, their performances are among their very best. The film has some pacing issues, which brings its overall success down a tad, but the strength of the two leads at the top of their game is more than enough for this film to warrant a recommendation from me. ADRIANO Underneath the film’s soft-spoken surface, there is a lot to appreciate about Causeway . It’s a short, subdued film about the healing process of a veteran, and while ditching any over-the-top melodrama may turn some people away, it made the film more engaging and interesting for me. Jennifer Lawrence and Brian Tyree Henry are both fantastic, complimenting the film’s tone flawlessly. Honestly, most of my issues are nitpicks (the ending is a little abrupt, for example), but I definitely see this as a film I’ll have no problem revisiting. QUENTIN I’ll be honest, I don’t have a ton to say about Causeway . It’s a perfectly fine movie, but not one that I am rushing to tell people about. In fact, of the 40ish movies I saw at TIFF, it was the most forgettable. It just hasn’t stuck with me, good or bad. While I admit that I’ve never been a huge Jennifer Lawrence fan, she does a solid job here in an unusually restrained performance, but she is overshadowed by Brian Tyree Henry, who continues to prove that he’s more than just Paper Boi from Atlanta . Aside from that, I dunno. It’s just…*shrug emoji* PAIGE Causeway is a compassionate film from Lila Neugebauer (in her directorial debut) that looks at the prolonged effects of trauma and the struggles that come with trying to move past them. The film’s plot may be considered a quiet, slow burn, but the performances are compelling enough to keep your interest high. The chemistry between Jennifer Lawrence and Brian Tyree Henry is the glue to this film, and it will certainly pull at your heartstrings. Also, while Lawrence may be the name that catches your attention, it’s Henry that steals the spotlight. AMARÚ Brian Tyree Henry is a premier actor of this generation. That’s really the gist of what needs to be said about Causeway . This story about two people trying to find friendship through trauma is a good watch, but it’s slightly sluggish due to “nothing happening” unless Henry is on screen bringing more life to a solid Jennifer Lawrence performance. Aside from one powerful prison sequence in the final act, you’re mostly just waiting for Henry to come back on screen between his appearances. Still, with only a 90-minute runtime, the wait isn’t laborious…just a little drab. JACOB Causeway may not ultimately count as essential viewing, but if one can appreciate its innate subtlety, it’s a rewarding experience nonetheless. The film’s script is decidedly more nuanced than most films about PTSD are, specifically where it concerns veterans, and while it’s certainly a present issue, it’s never exploited or exaggerated for effect. Jennifer Lawrence gives her most intimate and personal performance to date, while Brian Tyree Henry continues to be one of the most undervalued performers working in movies today. Every scene the two share are the movie’s strongest by far. This film was reviewed by Nick, Quentin, and Adriano as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival.

THE CHRISTOPHERS Starring: Michaela Coel, Ian McKellen, Jessica Gunning, and James Corden Director: Steven Soderbergh AMARÚ Here is one thing I didn’t think I would say about The Christophers : it’s adorable. Or more appropriately, Sir Ian McKellen playing devilishly adorable makes the film an entertaining watch. He’s a one-man wrecking crew of brash insults and hilarious narcissism. Michaela Coel, conversely, plays off him tremendously with just a piercing look, and both performers needed all the charm they could muster to dive deeper into the messages of adequacy and affirmation the surface-level script couldn’t quite grasp. The leads prove there’s something to this film, and you could feel that every time the story just escaped beyond that something’s reach. BODE Whenever director Steven Soderbergh and screenwriter Ed Solomon have collaborated, the results (which include Mosaic and No Sudden Move ) have never been uninteresting. The Christophers is their fourth project together, and it’s a chamber piece that ruminates on the relationship between art and commerce. It never gets as deep as one would hope, and the pacing can be a bit lackadaisical at times, making it their weakest effort. Still, it’s got great actors like Ian McKellen and Michaela Coel charmingly riffing off each other, alongside a great score from Soderbergh regular David Holmes. So, you can’t go too wrong with that. ADRIANO Director Steven Soderbergh’s commitment to always delivering something different continues with The Christophers . This one seems a lot more personal to him, as it explores the mere idea of singular artistic expression, although his recent gleeful acceptance of AI does make me question that thesis. All that said, while watching Michaela Coel and an erratic Ian McKellan going at each other's throats is entertaining, The Christophers loses its edge early, in part due to the loose plot ending quickly. Soderbergh’s direction is also uncharacteristically unengaging, making even the more enjoyable moments, like the film as a whole, ultimately forgettable. This film was reviewed by Amarú as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival.

GOOD FORTUNE Starring: Seth Rogen, Aziz Ansari, Keanu Reeves, Keke Palmer, and Sandra Oh Director: Aziz Ansari ADRIANO After showing outstanding directorial chops on his excellent Netflix series Master of None , I was disappointed to see Aziz Ansari go down a visually generic route for his feature debut. There's not a lot about Good Fortune that sticks out, aside from Keanu Reeves' fish-out-of-water running gag that elicited the most laughs and a sincere (albeit not that effective) life-affirming message for people in hard times. But I didn't laugh enough, and I found a lot of the story beats unengaging. I appreciate the attempts by Ansari, but I'll forget about this movie sooner than I had hoped. NICK I will preface my review here by saying that I’ve never been a fan of Aziz Ansari, so Good Fortune already had an uphill battle to climb. Even with that caveat, this is still just a run-of-the-mill, relatively forgettable comedy. An entertaining fish-out-of-water performance from Keanu Reeves aside, this just didn’t supply frequent enough laughs, as it's reminiscent of a movie that would have come out in the nineties as opposed to a present day feature. I know we’ve been harping on a return to theatres for studio comedies, but this one would likely have been better left for streaming. AMARÚ Keanu Reeves as a fish-out-of-water angel, naively yucking it up with Aziz Ansari and Seth Rogen was absolutely perfect casting in Good Fortune . His genuine joy in this sweet comedy makes it really hard to not want to believe in people. And that’s great, because as likably funny as Ansari is, he is really hard to believe in this role. When Aziz is front and center, the great messaging of this story doesn’t feel earned or authentic. But coupled with Reeves and Rogen, his writing is elevated by experienced comedic actors who can brush the flaws aside to create a light and breezy time. This film was reviewed by Nick and Adriano as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival.

EMANCIPATION Starring: Will Smith, Ben Foster, and Charmaine Bingwa Director: Antoine Fuqua QUENTIN Emancipation has a bit of an identity crisis on its hands. What starts as an Oscar Bait slavery drama akin to 12 Years a Slave evolves into an action chase movie similar to Mel Gibson’s Apocalypto before eventually giving way to a Civil War movie in the vein of Glory . The mishmash of those tones, not to mention the inconsistent color palette, makes it hard for the viewer to truly settle in. That said, it’s never boring. Will Smith and Ben Foster do nice work, and it’s beautifully shot. The brutality might turn some people off, but there is enough here to make it worth your time. AMARÚ Emancipation ’s story should always be told. It’s a well-written, well-acted, well-scored and well-directed movie. Director Antoine Fuqua’s action doesn’t miss, and his use of tints and colors is especially poignant. That said, as an American Black man whose upbringing included Glory , Roots , and Amistad , there’s always the lingering question of whether I need to watch another slavery movie. I wanted to watch…that’s why you’re reading this review…but after finishing it, the answer is "no, I did not." By all means, watch the film. But if your station in life mirrors mine, then I’ll let you decide if your want outweighs your need. JACOB Its heart is in the right place, but unfortunately, Emancipation doesn’t quite rise to the level of filmmaking it hopes to achieve. Director Antoine Fuqua’s runaway slave thriller does feature a solid (if tepid) Will Smith performance, but the film has little to say about the brutality of slavery or the difficulties involved in escaping it. The film also looks quite bad, with such a desaturated color grade that one would think it was black & white if not for a few warm hues in some margins (not to mention the far too many drone shots). All in all, it’s serviceable, but skippable. ADRIANO I wish I knew what director Antoine Fuqua was trying to accomplish with Emancipation . One moment, the film is a sickening look at slavery; five minutes later, it's an action thriller. Those ideals never mesh together in a cohesive way, so it left me lost as to what the ultimate goal was. I’m not saying the story is never compelling, it just feels fumbled. Despite the film’s distracting color grading, it is admittedly well constructed, and Will Smith is an effective lead; however, I never felt gripped by the events of the story enough to care.

BRIDGET JONES: MAD ABOUT THE BOY Starring: Renée Zellweger, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Leo Woodall, Hugh Grant, and Colin Firth Director: Michael Morris AMARÚ Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy is a touching look at grief and a charming romantic-comedy. The former is excellent, and the latter is pretty standard (which is to say, still fairly excellent). The cast has evidently lived with these characters for years, especially Renée Zellweger in the titular role, and they naturally intermingle the whimsical romantic elements with the familial themes surrounding death, not to mention the ever-evolving internal conflicts that aging presents. Chiwetel Ejiofor’s addition also doesn’t hurt to present the humorous and the heavy in very endearing ways. Four entries in, and Bridget Jones still had plenty left to say. BODE Even if you’re not in Bridget Jones ’ target audience, you don’t have to be to enjoy this franchise for the witty and endearing rom-coms they are (minus The Edge of Reason , of course). This remains true of the series’ fourth entry, Mad About the Boy , which is additionally thoughtful in its exploration of rediscovering yourself after loss. Renée Zellweger and Hugh Grant remain as charming as ever, while new faces like Chiwetel Ejiofor and Leo Woodall also shine. As far as (possible) final chapters go, it’s one that should leave fans perfectly satisfied.

TOY STORY 5 Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Conan O’Brien, Scarlett Spears, Greta Lee, Shelby Rebara, Craig Robinson, and Mykal-Michelle Harris Director: Andrew Stanton NICK People will continue to debate whether Toy Story 3 should have gotten a sequel. Regardless, Toy Story 5 feels like a much more worthy follow-up than Toy Story 4 . Writer/director Andrew Stanton and co-writer/director Kenna Harris found the right creative story to work as a natural progression for this franchise, and it's tremendous. As expected, the film is bursting with heart and laughs, but it's the way it reaffirms the weight and importance of our formative years, even in adulthood, through the lens of modern technology's rise where it succeeds the most. It’s a beautiful and emotionally resonant tale for parents and children alike. AMARÚ Toy Story 2 is the best of the franchise, and Jessie’s (Joan Cusack) emotional depth is a big reason why. Centering Toy Story 5 around her was a brilliant way to prove that, with the right amount of thought, these movies can be released for the rest of our lives. It reminded us how difficult childhood can be, and shows how toys (and tech) are conduits of creativity, imagination, and friendship that, with balance, can help us navigate growing up in ever-changing times. Each generation deals with its own evolving joys and conflicts, and each generation deserves a Toy Story to help guide them through. ADRIANO I don’t want Pixar to keep making these, but dammit, they know how to win me over. Toy Story 5 has the same pros and cons as Toy Story 4 . Its sideplots seem like epilogues to the third film, leading to some characters being sidelined, especially Woody (Tom Hanks), who you could remove entirely and it would change nothing. But the main storyline and objective are effective in their poignant approach to Jessie (Joan Cusack) and the things kids can lose from over reliance on tech. And yes, it made me cry. These toys still have that going for them. QUENTIN Objectively speaking, Toy Story 5 successfully hits the mark, delivering an endearing tale about the transition from toys to screens and modern childhood interactions. It also provides easy-to-digest humor and emotion. However, subjectively speaking as a childless, 45-year-old man — one who even has 30 years worth of nostalgia for this franchise — Toy Story 5 did absolutely nothing for me. I came, I saw, I left. And much like Toy Story 4 , or any recent Pixar movie for that matter, it'll almost immediately fade from memory. So, if Pixar still does it for you, go forth and enjoy! If not…well, you’ve got a friend in me. ROBERT I don’t think any subsequent Toy Story entry can match the completeness of the original trilogy, colored by my age and how perfect an ending it was. The previous effort wasn’t egregious, but it lacked the bedrock emotionality and weight. Toy Story 5 does yeoman’s work to swim upstream against its constraints by really considering the toys’ role in how they help their owner grow into a full person. Jessie (Joan Cusack) is heartbreaking with the constant nagging of her past, but she remains resolute, which makes her the best focal point. While the ancillary stuff anchors its lofty aspirations, the core story is worth a play. KATIE I’m conscious that nostalgia and my reverence for the first three Toy Story films, which make the perfect trilogy before the forgettable fourth instalment, are preventing me from connecting with the latest Toy Story 5 . Still, I found it oddly convoluted, inconsistent in its ideas, unfunny, and, for the first time, I was bored whilst spending time with these fantastic characters. The animation is stunning, but it lacks the emotional depth and clarity of its predecessors, quickly establishing and then abandoning its message about technology and toys. Sadly, even Toy Story is not immune to IP fatigue. Want to hear even more of our thoughts? Nick and Shak join Amarú to take A Bigger Bite out of Toy Story 5 HERE .

LEVITICUS Starring: Joe Bird, Stacy Clausen, Jeremy Blewitt, Ewen Leslie, Davida McKenzie, Tyallah Bullock, and Mia Wasikowska Director: Adrian Chiarella ROBERT Not that it wasn’t always a trope, but it seems like the “unnamed evil entity” has become as synonymous with modern horror as the monkey’s paw. So, standing out amongst the throngs is paramount, and Leviticus does an admirable job with our enemy fighting people over concerns of sexual identity in the face of unyielding religious beliefs. The core partnership of Joe Bird’s Naim and Stacy Clausen’s Ryan is the driving force, along with the bait-and-switches between the characters and the entity impersonating them. It reminded me of It Follows with more of a coming-of-age vibe. Add another Australian thing that could kill you. PAIGE Leviticus is a queer horror film that is not only terrifying but also heartbreaking. While its elevated premise and themes could have been more fleshed out, this is a strong debut from writer/director Adrian Chiarella. What makes the film so effective is the vulnerability and pain that is on display here. Our two leads played by Joe Bird and Stacy Clausen deliver commanding performances that not only ground the story but also make the horror feel even more impactful. Ultimately, the true horror in this film is religious repression.

UNCHARTED Starring: Tom Holland, Mark Wahlberg, Antonio Banderas, Sophia Ali, and Tati Gabrielle Director: Ruben Fleischer AMARÚ The makeup of Uncharted is as follows: cue the lost family member storyline from Tomb Raider , add history lessons that would fit right into National Treasure , and top it off with Mark Wahlberg plucking quips straight out of The Italian Job . The filmmakers tried banking on the chemistry between Wahlberg and Tom Holland, but it falls flat when the entire movie is a collection of poorly edited scenes jumbled together from other movies. Meanwhile, you're left wondering if Holland is actually playing Nathan Drake or Peter Parker. In the end, I’m more interested in seeing how many reviews mention Nathan Fillion. QUENTIN Uncharted is not a great movie, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a bit of fun to be had. You’ve certainly seen this movie before, as it plays out like Tomb Raider’s Last Crusade for The Goonies’ National Treasure . That said, if you like treasure hunt movies (which I do), this one will scratch the itch well enough despite action sequences that lack suspense and the barely there chemistry between Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg that causes all the witty banter to fall flat. Again though, I didn’t hate it, and I’ll probably even watch the inevitable sequel.

SEVEN VEILS Starring: Amanda Seyfried, Douglas Smith, Vinessa Antoine, Rebecca Liddiard, Ambur Braid, Michael Kupfer-Radecky, Mark O’Brien, and Lynne Griffin Director: Atom Egoyan NICK As a last-minute addition to my TIFF schedule this year, I was not expecting Seven Veils to floor me like it did. The way director Atom Egoyan explores trauma by using parallels between life and the remounting of Salome is sensational, and it’s all held together by a fantastic performance from Amanda Seyfried. Egoyan takes you through the inner workings of the opera, with a focus on everything from the cast to the props designer, and manages to make it all gripping in what must be viewed as his career highlight. A true triumph across the board. KATIE I found it difficult to decipher the point of Seven Veils. Admittedly, I was unfamiliar with the opera Salome before watching, which may have contributed to my confusion, but I was still left struggling to decipher the uneven tone and various dramatic subplots. The film throws up some contentious issues without properly addressing them, including ambivalent attitudes towards intimacy co-ordinators, which were tough to understand alongside the themes of childhood trauma and inappropriate relationships. Nonetheless, Amanda Seyfried’s controlled performance is fantastic, and she was the only character I cared about, especially as she made the oddly unnatural dialogue emotionally engaging. This film was reviewed by Nick as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.

THANKSGIVING Starring: Nell Verlaque, Patrick Dempsey, Addison Rae, Jalen Thomas Brooks, Tomaso Sanelli, Milo Manheim, Gabriel Davenport, Jenna Warren, and Rick Hoffman Director: Eli Roth PAIGE While I was hoping Thanksgiving would have kept more with the grindhouse distortion style, I must admit this flick is still a bloody fun time. It’s stuffed with ridiculousness that will have you eating up its holiday-themed kills, and director Eli Roth seems to be having a blast crafting the creative mayhem. Even though this film is absurd and it doesn’t have the most compelling story, this B-horror movie knows it’s over-the-top, embracing every bit of it. If you're a sucker for cheesy slashers, this one's for you. Just don’t expect to care much about the one-dimensional characters. CALEB Director Eli Roth’s latest effort features everything you could possibly want from a great slasher flick. It’s got fun kills, an intimidating antagonist, and an engaging mystery. The whole Thanksgiving shtick is a lot of fun too. I love how they incorporate the holiday’s trademarks into the violence. The only real gripe I have with the film is its protagonist. Jessica (Nell Verlaque) isn’t necessarily a terrible character, but she’s pretty forgettable as far as final girls go. Outside of that, there’s barely anything to complain about. I went into Thanksgiving hoping for a good time, and that’s exactly what I got. ADRIANO I'm not a robot. I can even be a sicko sometimes, and Thanksgiving fulfilled my sicko needs. While lacking in substance, Eli Roth's latest slasher makes up for it with pure genre entertainment. The movie has kills for days; absolutely brutal ones too. Heads fall off, internal organs are exposed…it's a massacre, and I am here for it. I also love a horror flick like this one that is more dependent on the tense atmosphere than lazy jump scares. Its mystery can be interesting, though its reveal and explanation aren't very satisfying. Nonetheless, this film was a blast from start to finish. PRESTON I almost feel compelled to rate Thanksgiving slightly differently when compared to more “serious” films because director Eli Roth’s intention is perfectly met when one examines the final product. You know exactly what you’re going to get from a Thanksgiving-pilgrim-disguised-killer premise. In the end, you get a no-holds-barred slasher in all its gory glory that has surprising humor with some beautifully cheesy one-liners. For all you B-horror movie fans out there, this could be your chance to convert some of your more skeptical, highbrow friends. Go watch it together and have fun; you’ll be thankful you did!