LEE Starring: Kate Winslet, Alexander Skarsgård, Marion Cottilard, Andrea Risebrough, Andy Samberg, and Josh O'Connor Director: Ellen Kuras NICK There’s no doubt that Kate Winslet gives a spectacular and awards-worthy performance as Lee Miller; however, the film that features her, Lee , has its share of challenges. The approach taken in recounting her story feels like a cheap way to bypass plot points and make up for the lack of a cohesive narrative. Had the moments it focused on been more riveting, perhaps that could be overlooked, but the pacing is actually fairly slow. It is evident Lee Miller was an accomplished and nuanced photographer, so it’s very frustrating to see that a film about her work lacks artistic creativity. ADRIANO There seems to be this misconception in Hollywood that a movie can coast on just the power of its true story. Lee is another victim of this mentality because, while the story of Lee Miller is interesting, the film does nothing to distinguish itself beyond great performances from Kate Winslet and Andy Samberg. It tries to comment on sexism and war, but that doesn't go anywhere beyond finger-wagging. Motivations aren't entirely clear, and the film falls victim to a bizarre framing device that confuses more than delivers. I'm probably gonna forget Lee very quickly. PRESTON I spent much of Lee thinking it was somehow disjointed, and even contemplated copping out with a dodgy comment like, “something’s missing.” Fortunately, it turns out to be one of those films where you don’t know how cool it is until you’ve reached the end, when everything gets tied together in a somewhat forced, but satisfying fashion. An invested Kate Winslet single-handedly brings the gripping, real-life story of war-correspondent Lee Miller to…well…life. The method may feel like standard fare, but the underlying story to this biopic, told through a committed Winslet, is anything but. QUENTIN Despite a committed performance from Kate Winslet and a solid against-type showing from Andy Samberg, Lee doesn’t offer much to engage the viewer. The beats of Lee Miller’s (Winslet) life feel cherry-picked and rushed, as if perhaps more interesting tidbits were left on the editing room floor simply to make for a shorter runtime, and while it certainly shows some atrocities of war, it’s nothing we haven’t seen before. Plus, the awkward framing device of a story being told in flashback is wholly unnecessary (especially the “reveal”). This all results in a film that fails to make the viewer truly invested. It’s beautifully shot, though. This film was reviewed by Adriano, Nick, and Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival and 2024 Zurich Film Festival respectively.

PREDATOR KILLER OF KILLERS Starring: Michael Biehn, Doug Cockle, Rick Gonzalez, Damien Haas, Louis Ozawa, and Lauren Holt Directors: Dan Trachtenberg and Joshua Wassung NICK Not that the Predator franchise was dead (Prey , the most recent entry, is fantastic), but Killer of Killers sets a blueprint for how to rejuvenate dormant IP. In taking the animated route, there's an opportunity for new stories on a grander scale without needing the bloated budget so many of these projects require. Personally, I'm not much of an anime fan, but I understand the appeal, and fans of that genre should eat this thing up. Even if you aren’t, though, it’s still a good time watching Predators travel the globe, and based on the epilogue, there may be more to come. AMARÚ After Prey , we asked director Dan Trachtenberg to give us Predators fighting different warriors across time, and alongside co-director Josh Wassung, that is exactly what they did – to great success too because Killer of Killer s is awesome. Its fight choreography is stunning, even with an animation style I initially found to be stilted, but the graphic look created a depth of movement that made the action epic, especially in conjunction with the film’s amazing sound. Add in an anthology plot line with no weak links that comes together in a satisfying and intriguing fashion, and we have got an absolute winner on our hands. QUENTIN After successfully showing us Predator v. the Comanche in Prey , director Dan Trachtenberg is giving people more of that same goodness by having Predators square off against vikings, ninjas, and WWII fighter pilots in three surprisingly complete short stories. While I wish it was live action, don’t be deterred by it being animated because it's as action-packed and blood-soaked as any entry in the franchise. Plus, the animation is vibrantly done, demonstrating levels of dimension usually not seen outside of Pixar. I’d honestly watch a dozen more of these. Give me Predators fighting Mongols, Roman gladiators, medieval knights, the Spartans, mob enforcers… The possibilities are endless. KATIE I’m not a massive Predator fan in general, but Predator: Killer of Killers is an incredibly entertaining anthology that works for both fans of the franchise and anyone interested in action-packed animation. Speaking of… the animation style initially threw me; it looked borderline murky at times, and I needed to get used to the odd frame rate. However, this became a non-issue with the thrilling fight choreography, well-developed and interesting characters, and gripping stories that come together in a way that does each narrative justice. It’s not perfect, but it delivers exactly what you’d want in the next installment of this franchise. ROBERT To be frank, I was unaware of the animated nature of Predator: Killer of Killers before I started it, but it struck me how much the franchise lends itself to this format. Through the canon, we were aware that Predators had been frequenting Earth for sport, but to have insight into how people of different cultures dealt with an extraterrestrial killing machine given their time-bound limitations was fascinating. Plus, It was wonderful having Michael Biehn as part of the cast, and hearing Louis Ozawa return to this realm. With its visual appeal and the story expansion possibilities, Killers is truly too enticing to pass up.

THE WATCHERS Starring: Dakota Fanning, Georgina Campbell, Olwen Fouéré, Oliver Finnegan, Alistair Brammer, and John Lynch Director: Ishana Night Shyamalan KATIE Ishana Night Shyamalan crafts an incredibly creepy atmosphere in her feature debut, The Watchers . The intriguing premise and gothic style drew me in each step of the way, complemented by chilling sound design and a great lead performance from Dakota Fanning. The script is sometimes uneven, utilising some very heavy-handed metaphors and clunky dialogue, but my enjoyment outweighs the problems I have with it, all of which are common for a first film. Overall, The Watchers is a very promising start for Ishana Night Shyamalan. PRESTON Ishana Night Shyamalan follows in her father’s (M. Night Shyamalan) footsteps with a successful first outing as a film director with The Watchers . The sound design is the star of this fantasy-thriller, bolstered by excellent supporting visual effects and cinematography. The plotline is handicapped by a few inflection points that confuse and frustrate, while the repetitive, conspicuous messaging is a bit too tenacious. However, the story borrowed from A.M. Shine’s novel is quite inventive and keeps you engaged. We even get the expected Shyamalan plot twist to boot. I think we can expect great things from Ishana Night Shyamalan in the future.

THE PASSENGER Starring: Kyle Gallner, Johnny Berchtold, and Liza Weil Director: Carter Smith KATIE The Passenger immediately intrigued and unsettled me with its chilling opening scene, establishing a sense of unease and tension that never subsides. This gripping and strangely intimate thriller features amazing performances by Johnny Berchtold (Randy) and Kyle Gallner (Benson, his shotgun-wielding co-worker). The pair have an unlikely chemistry, and their relationship is multi-faceted and almost moving, to the point that, despite Randy’s flaws and Benson’s violent outbursts, I was still rooting for them. The plot is simple yet effective, creating space for Gallner’s incredibly powerful and nuanced performance, which allows the relationship to be the beating heart of the film. QUENTIN Though not incredibly original…seriously, it’s like someone said, “what if we remade A Perfect World with a few slight tweaks?…The Passenger remains surprisingly effective for such a simple, under-the-radar suspense movie. Kyle Gallner once again crushes a performance that will come and go without much fanfare, while well-trodden themes of trauma and its long-lasting impact are well-explored from multiple angles. It’s admittedly a very short list, but this is easily the best original movie released by MGM+ so far, and it shows that the relatively new streamer could have some potential in the small-scale film game. PAIGE With no expectations going in, The Passenger is a lean, mean, and gory machine. This Blumhouse-produced film is a slow-burn thriller turned therapy session that is an insane and wild ride from start to finish. It’s mainly a two-man show that is carried by the superb acting from its two leads, Johnny Berchtold and Kyle Gallner, the latter of which keeps delivering stellar performance after stellar performance. The thing is, though… there’s no real climax to the story to leave you completely satisfied. NICK Following up his impressive turn in What Comes Around (which I had the pleasure of seeing at TIFF last year under the title Roost ), Kyle Gallner once again steals The Passenger with a magnetic performance. Whether he’s inconspicuously lurking in the background or standing front-and-center, my focus was on his character. That's not a knock on co-star Johnny Berchtold either, who also has a solid showing. It’s the story where the hiccups come. What starts as an intriguing character study becomes too ambiguous for its own good, and its lack of answers ends things on a sour note. It's good, but these performances deserved great.

COLD STORAGE Starring: Joe Keery, Georgina Campbell, Liam Neeson, Lesley Manville, Sosie Bacon, Aaron Heffernan, and Gavin Spokes Director: Jonny Campbell PAIGE Cold Storage is the kind of movie where you just turn your brain off and enjoy the ride. David Koepp’s script is pretty rough at times, and there’s no ignoring some of the horrendous visual effects here, but that’s also kind of part of the movie’s appeal. It may be a bit over the top, but it knows that it is, and everyone involved seems to have understood the assignment. As a pulpy B-movie, even with tons of plot holes, Cold Storage is at least fast-paced and delivers some solid humor. ROBERT Cold Storage inspires a movie comparison never uttered in human history and probably never considered again: Evolution meets I Trapped the Devil with a sprinkling of Life . Sometimes, like Black Friday , a one-location horror movie can be dumb fun buoyed by one hero performance; in this case, it is Joe Keery, who is charming as hell and drags this film along by its ears. This isn’t peak straight-man Liam Neeson, as he tries to joke around, but it is close enough. The CG is a little hokey, and some odd tonal choices generate some weirdness with the climax, but the laughs are infectious. AMARÚ Just as you forget that Liam Neeson’s voice is more than a vehicle for his next B-movie action thriller, a B-movie horror comedy like Cold Storage gives him a scene to remind you that his monologues carry tons of gravity. He pulled me into what could’ve been just a movie to play in the background. What almost pulled me out is that the stupid person who looked in places they had no business being was Black. All jokes aside, this film straddles the line between interesting and ill-conceived, with actors who retrieve my interest every time the story loses it across that idiotic line. BODE The thing to accept about David Koepp and his incredibly versatile career as a screenwriter is that he can miss (Mortdecai , Jurassic World: Rebirth ) as often as he hits (Jurassic Park , Spider-Man , Black Bag ). But then there’s a film like Cold Storage , which isn’t anyone’s greatest hour, but far from anyone’s worst. It drags a little more than it should (even at 99 minutes), but director Jonny Campbell mostly handles its grotesque B-movie scenario with workmanlike efficiency, never taking the assignment too seriously and allowing his actors to bring the charm as needed. It’s fine for what it is.

HUMANE Starring: Jay Baruchel, Emily Hampshire, Sebastian Chacon, Alanna Bale, Enrico Colantoni, Peter Gallagher, Sirena Gulamgaus, and Uni Park Director: Caitlin Cronenberg KATIE Humane is the latest addition to the increasingly popular dystopian genre, focusing on the internal breakdown of a family facing the consequences of mandatory population control measures. It plays out like a thriller, where the Succession -esque siblings have to murder each other, but the way each actor leans into the stereotypes of champagne socialism and the detached attitudes of the mega-rich family is very funny. Whilst I was left wondering if the film communicated its satirical message as intended, Humane offers an original and darkly comedic film with plenty of laughs and bloody violence. QUENTIN The world-building in Humane , along with the first act, sets the stage for a tense (if unoriginal) stand-off between a collection of rich dysfunctional siblings forced to face their own awfulness. Sadly, once the second act hits, the story fizzles out, turning into nothing more than “which unlikeable (or worse, uninteresting) sibling will survive?” while general themes of “fuck the rich” and “don’t trust the government” play out. There is very little tension, nor are there any characters to root for, so you ultimately end up with just a bunch of noise…bloody noise, sure, which may be enough for some, but it’s still just noise. NICK Humane is the latest look at a panicked government's solution to population control. It starts off with an engaging family story (think The Fall of the House of Usher ), which locked me in for about 40 minutes or so. Sadly, that solid lead-up devolves into a generic bloody battle for survival that fails to bring both the tension and thrills that it desires. Yes, the film at least had the foresight to lean into some campier aspects, but it is undone by setting the stage early for something that would have been a much better film. PAIGE Humane is a horror satire with not much horror or satire. The movie plays out as more of a family drama than anything else, which isn’t entirely a bad thing, but when you have a Cronenberg in the director’s chair, you expect more. Rather than delving further into the themes it is attempting to convey, the movie unfolds as a bloodbath with this dysfunctional family racing around the house just wanting to kill each other. All in all, it's a middling film with a cool concept and a fun cast, but the overarching themes are underdeveloped and poorly executed.

FAMILY SQUARES Starring: Margo Martindale, Judy Greer, Casey Wilson, Sam Richardson, Billy Magnussen, Scott MacArthur, Ann Dowd, Elsie Fisher, Henry Winkler, Timothy Simons, and June Squibb. Director: Stephanie Laing NICK It’s always great when a film comes out of nowhere to surprise you, and that’s exactly what Family Squares does. This darkly humorous take on what many people have had to go through the past two years is the best “Covid” film I’ve seen yet. Family Squares manages to find some levity in a very heavy situation, which leads to an almost cathartic watch. Filmed almost entirely on Zoom and bolstered by a solid ensemble including standouts Ann Dowd, Judy Greer, and Casey Wilson, this is a funny, emotional, and relatable viewing experience. AMARÚ Family Squares , at its worst, is as disjointed as the Zoom meetings the entire movie is viewed through. At its best, it’s full of heart, hope, and healing reminiscent of what each and every one of us have had to find in ourselves over the past two years. Luckily, that heart grows with each successive scene, especially when June Squibb and Sam Richardson take center stage in the digital meetings. The entire ensemble accurately conveys the warring myriad of emotions quarantine creates, and in the end, leaves us with a pleasant film that’s simultaneously crazy and endearing. PAIGE Family Squares is a surprisingly emotional comedy that is stacked with performances from Henry Winkler, Judy Greer, Ann Dowd, and many more. It’s another entry in the unique covid sub-genre of Zoom films, but this time focuses on a dysfunctional family dealing with the death of a loved one. And I have to say, this film is a breath of fresh air. These last few years dealing with the pandemic haven’t been easy for anyone, so it’s nice to get a gem like this that feels raw and relatable.

THE SCHOOL DUEL Starring: Kue Lawrence, Christina Brucato, Jamad Mays, Michael Sean Tighe, Eugene Bondurant, and Oscar Nuñez Director: Todd Wiseman Jr. This film has been reviewed by Quentin and Nick as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2025 Fantasia International Film Festival. QUENTIN Although it could not be any more different in tone, The School Duel plays like a prophetic tale for America à la Idiocracy . To be clear, this is not “entertainment;” it’s director Todd Wiseman Jr. having something important to say. To be perfectly honest, I respect it far more than I enjoyed it; however, I can’t deny the messaging about school shootings, adolescence, privilege, inequality, competition, and bullying resonates in all-too-real, grim, and heartbreaking ways. I completely understand that most people probably won’t want to spend 90 minutes with this film, but I’m glad I did (even if I never want to do it again). NICK The School Duel is the rare film where the subdued build-up is actually more interesting than the final climactic battle scene. Shot in beautiful black and white, I was into this for the first hour or so as Samuel (Kue Lawrence) was broken down continuously by his teachers and school bullies. Then once we got to The School Duel, my interest began to wane a little. It's the message of this film that is strongest though, as director Todd Wiseman Jr. shines a spotlight on the pathway to school shootings and a worrisome future for the youth of America.

THELMA Starring: June Squibb, Richard Roundtree, Fred Hechinger, Parker Posey, and Clark Gregg Director: Josh Margolin AMARÚ Fuck yea! Grandmas are the fucking best, and Thelma is a riotous and beautiful tribute to the spirit of the elderly and grandmothers everywhere. Writer/director Josh Margolin balances realistically ridiculous senior-citizen action with bountiful heart, punctuated by a kick-ass Nick Chuba score. June Squibb is exquisite as the titular Thelma, and her wholesome relationship with her grandson Daniel (Fred Hechinger) delivers impactful messaging about independence and what it means to get older (no matter your age), turning what could easily be a nonsensical plot into something earnest, entertaining, and absolutely hilarious. ADRIANO Thelma is one of those movies that, if you don't like it, I'm automatically suspicious of you. Am I saying Thelma is perfect? No, far from it, to be honest. Its plotting is pretty clumsy, and I didn't laugh quite as much as I would've hoped. However, it's just so damn lovable. Somehow both a silly crime caper and a meditation on aging and how your individuality shifts with time, Thelma is simply something I can't quite take issue with: sincere. Coupled with a great June Squibb performance, I couldn't help but smile the whole time. SHADAN Inspired by his own grandma, director Josh Margolin’s Thelma will have you grinning from ear to ear. With every clever quip and rev of her stolen electric scooter, June Squibb delights and radiates charisma, making the most of a star vehicle that is long overdue. There are many hilarious gags and running jokes in Thelma , but they are never delivered in a way that is cruel or demeaning to its characters, one of the many reasons why the film feels authentic and fresh. Thelma is one of the most endearing and memorable action comedies in years, and I’d happily follow her anywhere.

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.

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?

AIR Starring: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Chris Messina, Marlon Wayans, Chris Tucker, Matthew Maher, and Viola Davis Director: Ben Affleck QUENTIN Considering it’s a movie about a shoe deal, which doesn’t sound remotely interesting on the surface, it’s wild just how well Air comes together. Between the terrific performances, banging soundtrack, and inspirational-but-not-overly-sentimental monologues, director Ben Affleck and writer Alex Convery take what could have been an extremely dry corporate story and turn it into a film that pops with the energy of March Madness. Admittedly, certain parts feel a little too breezy, making Air an apt title, but whatever the film lacks in gravitas, it more than makes up for in rousing entertainment value and, for basketball fans of a certain age, pure nostalgia. JACOB Ben Affleck is back in the director’s chair with Air , and while I won’t say it blew me away in any capacity, it is probably about as good as a movie like this can be. The performances are all solid (Ben Affleck and Chris Messina steal the show), the script is workmanlike and structurally sound, and Affleck’s direction is as assured as ever. Somehow, the movie gets you to care that Michael Jordan says yes to a shoe line, and it’s not because of Jordan himself. I do wish the film felt a little more epic to non-NBA followers, though. ADRIANO I say this with no exaggeration: I left Air with my fists stuck in the air. It’s the kind of crowd-pleaser that you want to experience in a packed theater; one that makes you want to dream big, yet it never feels overly sentimental or cheesy. I know nothing about basketball, but that didn’t matter. I was able to follow this inspiring story through and through, thanks in part to a surprisingly funny script and one hell of an ensemble. I don’t know who I wouldn’t recommend this one to. It’s a movie for everybody. AMARÚ Air ’s structure consists of two main components: needle drops and monologues. One great song sets up an inspiring and superbly acted speech from the likes of Matt Damon (Sonny Vaccaro), Viola Davis (Deloris Jordan), and the rest of the great cast (Matthew Maher as Peter Moore is a standout), which cues the next great song, and so on and so forth. While the film’s last act is a rousing culmination of this round robin, the film would have elevated from really good to great if the entire runtime felt as cohesive as the last 30 minutes.