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A BIG BOLD BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY Starring: Margot Robbie, Colin Farrell, Kevin Kline, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge Director: Kogonada ADRIANO Let's inspect the adjectives of A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, shall we? Big: as grand as the movie wants you to think it is, it's actually remarkably small-scaled, operating on one narrative schtick. Bold: it plays way too safe for an otherwise bold director like Kogonada, creating emotional catharsis that feels unnatural and confused. Beautiful: beyond being visually similar to a Russo Brothers movie, the beauty of its storytelling is nonexistent and fake, compounded by the fact that Colin Farrell and Margot Robbie have no chemistry in sight. It's more of a small, bland, emotionless journey, honestly. NICK To tell a successful love story, the key component is chemistry. In A Big Bold Beautiful Journey , there just isn't any evident between Colin Farrell and Margot Robbie. Then again, with this script, how could you reasonably tell? There are concepts and scenes that clearly show what this film could have been, but the execution of the overall story is rough. There isn’t even anything visually big, bold, or beautiful. Something dynamic could have helped make up for the weak story, but the film feels fairly low budget. Maybe someone can take a crack at this story down the line since this attempt is a failure. AMARÚ Like Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale (yes, I’m mentioning a film I adored just to show it some love), A Big Bold Beautiful Journey has some aspects that are quite lovely. Unlike Downton , the seemingly formulaic bits leave something to be desired. Journey is so desperate to intelligently subvert romantic expectations that it smothers the chemistry between the effortlessly charismatic Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell. While the big, bold, and unexpected things spearheaded by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Kevin Kline are magical, it’s the mushy, sappy, beautifully cliché romance between our leads that missed the mark. PAIGE A Big Bold Beautiful Journey is a big, bold letdown. Despite Colin Farrell and Margot Robbie's best efforts to do what they can, the story just lacks passion. This all comes down to a messy and jumbled script that is all over the place. The film aims to be this unique, whimsical, and impactful journey, but ultimately gets lost in its own emotionally hollow tale. It’s a bummer that this one never quite reaches its potential, as it’s aesthetically stunning and has an intriguing premise worth exploring. In the end, I think it’s for the best that director Kogonada sticks with directing his own scripts to avoid another mishap like this.

BUTCHER'S CROSSING Starring: Nicolas Cage, Fred Hechinger, Jeremy Bobb, Xander Berkeley, Rachel Keller, and Paul Raci Director: Gabe Polsky QUENTIN Butcher’s Crossing doesn’t always work, but it offers enough to satisfy fans of the western genre. The biggest problem is that the story beats come too quickly. The audience isn’t given enough time to settle in with the characters before they evolve into their next form, which undermines the intended effect of their arcs. Plus, the lengthy text coda at the end is important information, but it feels very forced and not particularly in line with the themes of the movie. That said, Nic Cage does great work as a buffalo hunter on the verge of madness, and the cinematography is breathtakingly beautiful. KATIE I love John Edward Williams’ novel Butcher’s Crossing , so I was keen to see how the story would be adapted to the screen. Although the book is told through the eyes of the young William Andrews (played by Fred Hechinger), the film instead focuses more on Nic Cage’s character, Miller, while neglecting to explore his motivations outside of psychotic tendencies. The audience isn't given a chance to know the characters, and the film instead uses a lot of delirious montage sequences to convey their emotional states. Overall, this is an unfortunately shallow adaptation of a truly great piece of American Literature. This film was reviewed by Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival.

BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER Starring: Letitia Wright, Angela Bassett, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Tenoch Huerta Mejía, Dominique Thorne, Winston Duke, Florence Kasumba, Michaela Cole, Martin Freeman, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus Director: Ryan Coogler AMARÚ Wakanda Forever is an emotional film carrying a lot of weight, and director Ryan Coogler adeptly balances that weight on his shoulders. He delicately crafts an intimate story about grief while still delivering timely humor and great action, allowing for some messy “studio” sections of the 180-minute runtime to feel less hollow. Propelled by devastatingly powerful performances from returning stars Angela Bassett (Ramonda), Letitia Wright (Shuri), Lupita Nyong'o (Nakia) and Danai Gurira (Okoye), not to mention stand-out newcomers Tenoch Huerta (Namor) and Dominique Thorne (Riri Williams), Wakanda Forever thrives off its palpable passion both in front of and behind the camera. QUENTIN For context, I think Black Panther is merely a slightly-better-than-average MCU movie. With that in mind, the individual moments I enjoyed in Wakanda Forever are better than the ones I enjoyed in Black Panther ; however, the latter works better as a movie-watching experience. Honestly, given the circumstances, it’s impressive that Wakanda Forever works as well as it does, but it has issues. Mostly, it tries to do too much by essentially tackling three origin stories while touching on similar themes as its predecessor, making it feel like an overlong (minor) retread. Still, typical MCU-quality action and poignant moments paying tribute to Chadwick Boseman keep it engaging. NICK With the untimely passing of Chadwick Boseman, the big question was going to be “who will now take up the mantle of Black Panther?” But, really, who cares? Because this is the Angela Bassett show. Her strong and composed performance is the heart of this film, along with some poignant tributes to Boseman and his character. Beyond that, however, this is yet another middle of the pack Phase Four entry. Yes, there are some great action sequences, but this feels less cohesive and fleshed out than the first one, which is unacceptable given this film’s nearly three hour runtime. The late Boseman is missed. JACOB The Black Panther sequel is here, and, as can happen with sequels of this nature, it can’t quite live up to the legacy of its predecessor, nor the star-shaped hole at its center. Wakanda Forever pays tribute to Chadwick Boseman in more than one emotional form, and it has a lot of things to like throughout; however, its structure is overlong and somewhat messy in the first act, especially in the editing. It gets better as it goes along though, and Tenoch Huerta’s performance as Namor establishes a formidable MCU villain as Ryan Coogler once more thematically addresses colonization.

HEADS OF STATE Starring: John Cena, Idris Elba, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Paddy Considine, Carla Gugino, Sarah Niles, Richard Coyle, Stephen Root, and Jack Quaid Director: Ilya Naishuller NICK Much like how G20 was elevated by the actors within it, Heads of State succeeds off the chemistry of John Cena and Idris Elba. Is this another cliché action-comedy? Yes. It's got explosions, car chases, death fakeouts, and a soundtrack featuring both The Beastie Boys' “Sabotage” AND Mötley Crüe's “Kickstart My Heart.” But thanks to Cena and Elba’s performances (especially the former's version of the US President), some hard hitting fight sequences, and a badass Priyanka Chopra Jonas, I enjoyed every minute of it. Will this stand the test of time? No. Would I watch a sequel? Absolutely. QUENTIN In the doldrums of summer, when most television shows are between seasons and there are few sports to speak of outside of baseball, I suppose a streaming action movie like Heads of State serves a purpose for the watch-at-home-because-it’s-too-hot-outside crowd. That doesn’t make it a good movie, though. It’s just something you watch because it’s “free” on Prime and there is nothing else new and exciting available. Sadly, the comedy bits aren’t particularly funny, the action sequences are uninspired, and the political preachiness is shoehorned in. John Cena and Idris Elba do what they can with the lackluster banter provided by the script, but ehhh. AMARÚ I’d like to thank director Ilya Naishuller for continuing the great trend of entertaining popcorn-action staples with real stakes. Following up the excellent Nobody with the comedic-leaning Heads of State should raise his name to the likes of David Leitch and Chad Stahelski. Idris Elba and John Cena’s reunion brings tons of levity, but also a surprising amount of weight, especially from one of Cena’s best overall performances to date. All of which stem from establishing a truly dangerous set of antagonists and a badass Priyanka Chopra Jonas. Naishuller took all aspects of this film seriously and it shows in its excellent execution. ADRIANO It’s clear that Heads of State is only aiming for baseline entertainment. While I wouldn't call it apolitical, the attempts at political unity feel tacked on to a point of irrelevance (I also don't think it's saying "this is actually about Trump”). That aside, did I have fun? I wasn't miserable watching this, and the pairing of John Cena and Idris Elba are entertaining in pockets. That said, it wasn't particularly funny nor did the action have any weight. It actually felt like a fake movie Cena's character would star in. So go figure, it's a direct-to-streaming movie. ROBERT I respect Amazon’s hustle. Every few months they greenlight an action movie where the POTUS kicks ass and saves international relations like we are back in the mid-1990s. They could do this for decades and it would always hit, especially if it rides on the backs of actors with undeniable chemistry like Heads of State has with John Cena and Idris Elba. They knew they wanted another go after The Suicide Squad , so the leads produced this adrenaline rush together. Nothing reinvents the wheel in this film, it’s silly at weird times, and some of the set pieces are lame, but with a great cast and a bulletproof premise, you salute it and send it on its way. BODE Heads of State really started to click for me the moment an unhinged Jack Quaid had a big shootout with Russian terrorists to the tune of Beastie Boys’ “Sabotage.” It’s not the first time that track has been used for a big action scene, but there’s a gleeful anarchy that director Ilya Naishuller brings to it that somewhat transcends the unoriginal song choice. That’s how I’d describe most of this film. There’s nothing you haven’t seen before, but thanks to those inspired set pieces, and fun chemistry between its ensemble cast, it goes down easy. Call it an ideal gentleman’s six.

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.

ALL OF US STRANGERS Starring: Andrew Scott, Paul Mescal, Jamie Bell, and Claire Foy Director: Andrew Haigh PAIGE All of Us Strangers is an incredibly personal film that is both heartbreaking and extremely powerful. It’s intimate, tender, and everything in between. This work of art touches on themes of loneliness and grief that will resonate with many, and I promise you it will give you all the feels thanks to the stellar and moving direction from director Andrew Haigh. Plus, Andrew Scott, Paul Mescal, Claire Foy, and Jamie Bell all deliver riveting performances. Once the end credits hit, this gem will have you rushing out of the theater to call your loved ones. ADRIANO All of Us Strangers has some real devastation, but sadly, a lot of it fell flat for me. Admittedly, writer/director Andrew Haigh does pull off the heartbreaking drama as it examines how we can sometimes fail to accept grief and how love can set us free, and this movie did make me shed some tears at times, thanks in part to the richly layered performance from Andrew Scott. However, some of the ways in which the film tries to explore its subjects collapse on themselves and the ending feels pointless. So, while this is worthwhile, I wish I got more out of it. AMARÚ All of Us Stranger s has the difficult position of having a ploddingly slow pace be essential to its emotional payoffs. I felt myself getting detached throughout the film whenever Adam’s (Andrew Scott) story paused for more contemplative scenes, but at the same time, that silence and Andrew Haigh’s intense direction made the film’s unique approach to trauma and memories much more powerful. Combine that with Scott, Paul Mescal, Jamie Bell, and Claire Foy all bringing tremendous gravitas to that emotional resonance, and Strangers makes for a moving, if at times sluggish, experience. This film was reviewed by Paige as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2023 New York Film Festival.

BELFAST Starring: Jude Hill, Caitríona Balfe, Jamie Dornan, Ciarán Hinds, and Judi Dench Director: Kenneth Branagh JACOB Once viewed, it’s easy to see why writer/director Kenneth Branagh's Belfast is a frontrunner for Best Picture. Beautifully photographed in black and white, the semi-autobiographical, coming-of-age tale is deeply sweet and often quite funny while featuring great performances across the board (Caitríona Balfe is a lock for an Oscar nomination). However, there are frequent opportunities in the film for Branagh to comment on larger conflicts, but these moments are mostly just background noise, seemingly important context that remains unexplored. Nonetheless, the subtle charms of the film’s main narrative are undeniable. ADRIANO Belfast is an undeniably sweet film. It takes a bit to get going (the opening sequence is actively bad), but once it picks up, it’s hard not to get swept away by the film's heart. It’s clearly a personal story for writer-director Kenneth Branagh, which makes it super easy to connect with. It certainly hit me right in the feels. On top of that, it boasts very good cinematography and an incredible ensemble, specifically Caitríona Balfe and newcomer Jude Hill. Overall, it’s a beautiful story of family and home that is definitely worth a watch.

THE MITCHELLS VS THE MACHINES Starring: Abbi Jacobson, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph, Michael Rianda, Eric André, Olivia Colman, Fred Armisen, Beck Bennett, Chrissy Teigen, John Legend, and Charlyne Yi Directors: Michael Rianda and Jeff Rowe AMARÚ Mirroring producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller's signature combo of heart and self-aware humor, writer/director duo Michael Rianda and Jeff Rowe's The Mitchells vs. The Machines is a refreshingly laugh-out-loud good time. Scenes range from hysterically absurd to warmly tear-jerking, which helps prevent the repetitive meta-humor and familiar themes of world-ending artificial intelligence and strained parent-child relationships from becoming stale. Add eye-popping animation with a pitch-perfect voice cast (Olivia Colman's pocket sized personal assistant Pal may go down as an all-time animated character), and you get 2021's first contender for the Best Animated Feature Oscar. QUENTIN The Mitchells vs. The Machines is the type of movie that sneaks up on you. It's a little scattershot, pinballing from somewhat heavy-handed heartfelt moments to frenetic action scenes in the blink of an eye, all while sprinkling in some clever social commentary. As you watch, you're enjoying yourself, but you aren't blown away - a chuckle here, a twinge of excitement there - until you reach the end, which is when you realize it has surprisingly and genuinely hit you right in the feels. It becomes out-of-nowhere great, giving Sony and Netflix a film that easily rivals many Pixar movies. JOSEPH I cannot stress enough how beautiful the animation is in The Mitchells vs. The Machines . Thanks to a witty and timely script, as well as some dazzling visuals, the film manages to own a premise that isn't at all unique. It also uses humor to pay homage to internet and meme culture in some great ways. Along with that, the film is incredibly heartfelt, portraying a family that is a little more complicated than you typically see in family films. All in all, check it out! It's fun for all ages. JACOB Though less balanced than Into the Spider-Verse or the first two Lego movies. The Mitchells vs. The Machines puts yet another notch in producers Lord & Miller's victory belt. There are some scenes where dialogue or the characters could have used a polish, plus some minor plot holes, but the beautiful animation and earnest storytelling do plenty of heavy lifting. The trademark Lord & Miller humor isn't quite as sharp as usual, but it gets the job done. Having a queer film nerd protagonist in an animated movie is pretty sweet too. I'd certainly recommend this to anyone who asked.

MAESTRO Starring: Carey Mulligan, Bradley Cooper, Matt Bomer, Maya Hawke, and Sarah Silverman Director: Bradley Cooper QUENTIN Truth be told, I had little interest in Maestro since I have no personal connection to Leonard Bernstein. Even as the movie began, I was unsure about it for the first 20-30 minutes. However, credit given where credit is due: it’s exquisite. Bradley Cooper disappears into the role of Bernstein so deeply that you often forget you’re watching an actor, and he’s matched beat-for-beat by Carey Mulligan. Maestro is certainly more of a “film” than a “movie,” so I’m not sure how well the general public will take to it, but for me, this is another win for Cooper both in front of and behind the camera. ADRIANO Bradley Cooper's sophomore effort in the director's seat, Maestro , sees a drastic upgrade in his abilities behind the camera. Everything is meticulous, the shots are stunning, and the film distinguishes itself pretty amazingly, not to mention Cooper’s unrecognizable performance as Leonard Bernstein, which is complemented beautifully by Carey Mulligan, who I'd argue is even better than Cooper. Sadly, the writing does not reach the heights of its direction, as the film's bullet-point approach almost lost my interest entirely. It won me back towards the end, but not enough to say that Maestro was anything more than great crafts that elevate weak storytelling. PRESTON Maestro is an alluring, artistic film that successfully captures the complicated love of its protagonists, Leonard Bernstein (Bradley Cooper) and Felicia Montealegre (Carey Mulligan). Mulligan gives us one of the best performances of the year, even outshining the magnificent Cooper. However, the film isn’t without its faults. Cooper is frustratingly incomprehensible at times due to mumbling that is reminiscent of Geoffrey Rush in Shine , which is further hindered by multiple scenes where everyone is talking over each other. The storytelling is choppy, and it's a bit of a slow-starter too. That said, in the end, its overarching successes far outweigh its shortcomings. NICK If A Star is Born put Bradley Cooper on the map as a director, then Maestro only strengthens that spot because Cooper uses clear advancements in his abilities behind the camera to craft a beautiful film. It’s on screen, however, where he shines brightest, disappearing into the role of Leonard Bernstein. Much like this year's Priscilla , Maestro focuses on a layered and problematic relationship helped along by a terrific performance from Carey Mulligan. Her work as Felicia Montealegre is heartbreaking, and one of the most authentic portrayals of late-stage cancer I’ve seen in some time. AMARÚ We all know Bradley Cooper, The Actor, but I think Maestro might remove the “underrated” qualifier from Bradley Cooper, The Director because that guy showed out. He brought joy, passion, and pain to each frame, which kept me deeply focused on every present moment. Weirdly though, those moments didn’t stick with me. But weirdly again, those moments didn’t exactly leave me like other moments-in-time movies without a clear destination. I was constantly enthralled by what I was experiencing, and that’s due to Cooper’s outstanding direction. Side note: has there ever been more cigarette screentime in a film? My goodness! KATIE Unfortunately, I felt I was watching a film carefully constructed to attract critical attention and awards nominations. Maestro is frustratingly tame and seems to consciously avoid controversy, which doesn’t make sense considering the complex nature of Leonard Bernstein’s (Bradley Cooper) public and private relationships. It breezes through Bernstein’s life like a tick box exercise, leaving me feeling distanced from the character, and I left the film without insight into Bernstein’s genius or emotional state. However, Carey Mulligan is amazing as she steals every scene she is in, while the film itself is aesthetically and technically impressive. Maestro is all surface and no substance. PAIGE Despite the fact that Maestro has elegant cinematography and fantastic performances from its two leads, Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan, I couldn’t help but feel empty and distant throughout the entirety of its runtime. Maybe it just wasn’t quite my tempo, but with a mindless script, it all felt as if the story had nothing to say about its subjects. Even though it’s dazzling and well-directed by Cooper, it’s all too surface-level when it comes to everything about Bernstein’s life, especially the love story with his wife, which is the focal point of its story. CALEB With Maestro , director Bradley Cooper frames some striking shots while also extracting some amazing performances from the cast, but it’s all in service of an underwhelming narrative. By the end of the film, I don’t think I actually learned much about Leonard Bernstein (also Cooper). The film focuses primarily on his marriage, which should’ve been interesting, but the way in which the subject matter is explored is very surface level. Consequently, the film ends up being rather timid. It’s clear that Cooper is a talented director, but I wish Maestro had just a bit more meat on its bones. This film was reviewed by Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2023 Venice International Film Festival.

DISENCHANTED Starring: Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, Gabriella Baldacchino, Maya Rudolph, Idina Menzel, James Marsden, Yvette Nicole Brown, Jayma Mays, Griffin Newman, and Alan Tudyk Director: Adam Shankman AMARÚ Disenchanted works best when it’s deconstructing fairy tale tropes. Amy Adams (Giselle) vs. Maya Rudolph (Malvina) as dueling evil queens, Gabriella Baldacchino (Morgan) sarcastically calling out her magical stepmother, and James Marsden (King Edward) going full Prince in real life was all a charming return to form. But the fine line between satire and Disney fantasy was too often blurred, forgoing smart parody for boring princess-story clichés, which sporadically disengaged me from the film. Less time in the musical fairy tale and more time in reality would have done this sequel some good. JACOB Unfortunately, Disenchanted continues one of the all-time bad movie streaks for one of our greatest actresses, as Amy Adams is forced to carry any and all of the fun of this film on her shoulders while everything else crumbles around her. Every idea seems to stem from the idea that the sequel had to happen rather than it being something people actually wanted to make. Each character not named Giselle (Adams) is at best two-dimensional, none of the songs are remotely as good as the predecessor’s, and every set feels like a soundstage. It’s not unseemly bad, but it’s bad.

WHITE MEN CAN'T JUMP Starring: Jack Harlow, Sinqua Walls, Teyana Taylor, Laura Harrier, Lance Reddick, Vince Staples, and Myles Bullock Director: Calmatic AMARÚ There are two seconds in White Men Can’t Jump where I thought Jack Harlow had some charm. The hope those moments provided didn’t last long. This unnecessary remake is jankily edited, poorly written, and hastily paced. Nothing on screen feels natural, especially the attempts to recapture the original’s poignant race-heavy dialogue. Harlow and Sinqua Walls have a bit of chemistry, but when on screen next to comedic standouts Myles Bullock and Vince Staples, you realize how not up to par this film is to the original. When the comedic relief is better than the main characters, it’s a pretty bad look. QUENTIN Not that it needs to be said, but White Men Can’t Jump didn’t need a remake, and it certainly didn’t deserve one this lazy. The contentious camaraderie between Jack Harlow and Sinqua Walls pales in comparison to what Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson had, and all the racial commentary of the original has been reduced to a slew of “white people be like…, black people be like…” jokes. There also is a completely needless subplot with one character’s father (though it was nice to see Lance Reddick one last time), while the basketball scenes aren’t all that fun or exciting. Overall, this is a total brick.

THE GREATEST BEER RUN EVER Starring: Zac Efron, Russell Crowe, Jake Picking, Kyle Allen, Archie Reneaux, Will Ropp, Ruby Ashbourne Serkis, and Bill Murray Director: Peter Farrelly NICK This year’s TIFF has been filled with military/war films, and The Greatest Beer Run Ever is amongst the most family friendly of the bunch. The story should reach a point where it loses its charm and Chickie Donohue (Zac Efron) has to come face to face with the realities of war. Unfortunately, it's such a sanitized version of the Vietnam War that it doesn't hold the weight it needs to. This makes for a fairly one note film. The performances, led by Efron, are mostly solid (Bill Murray is oddly cast), but this is yet another clean-cut, censored biopic from director Peter Farrelly. ADRIANO Director Peter Farrelly’s latest, The Greatest Beer Run Ever , is a step in the right direction, but it also shows that there is still room for improvement. Overall, I really enjoyed it. It’s a fun time filled with heart, but it also has effective drama when it needs to get serious. Zac Efron is fantastic too, turning what could’ve been a cartoon idiot into a believable doofus. Its messaging is a little too obvious, as is the plotting, but I can’t say that’s necessarily a bad thing. It’s not groundbreaking, but it is an easy and innocent experience. QUENTIN I don’t have many complaints about The Greatest Beer Run Ever , but for some reason, it’s just kinda…there . Zac Efron gives a nice, grown-up performance (an exciting evolution for him as an actor, to be honest), and the actual true story is admittedly pretty wild. But even in the most harrowing scenes, when bullets are flying and bombs are exploding, it’s feels as tame as network TV. I get that director Peter Farrelly is going for quasi-heartwarming (with a message!), but the film would have benefited from a sharper edge. It’s still an enjoyable watch, but I don’t think it will have much staying power. This film was reviewed by Nick, Quentin, and Adriano as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival.