Search Results

DOG ON TRIAL Starring: Laetitia Dosch, Anne Dorval, Jean-Pascal Zadi, Pierre Deladonchamps, François Damiens, Mathieu Demy, and Tom Fiszelson Director: Laetitia Dosch QUENTIN When one talks about finding hidden gems at film festivals, Dog on Trial is a perfect example. A movie that, on its surface, appears to be light and goofy (which it is) also works as a terrific metaphor for how society sees women, as well as a more straight-forward look at animal rights. Though almost never preachy, it explores the nature of the legal system, societal constructs, and humanity in humorous yet thought-provoking ways. It’s absurd and whimsical, but also deeply philosophical and observant. Plus, who doesn’t love a Movie Dog? KATIE Dog on Trial is a peculiar, absurd, but strangely thought-provoking film, exploring the patriarchal oppression of women, the treatment of animals, and the nature of justice in the most eccentric way. The premise of the film, an optimistic lawyer dedicated to helping hopeless cases defending a dog accused of biting in court, is far more irreverent than it sounds, and I really enjoyed the abrupt tone and oddly endearing characters. The plot is too busy for its short runtime, but ultimately, it's hard to resist the charm of Cosmo the dog’s adorable performance, and I think it's fair to call it that. This film was reviewed by Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.

THE INSTIGATORS Starring: Matt Damon, Casey Affleck, Hong Chau, Ving Rhames, Ron Perlman, Toby Jones, Michael Stuhlbarg, Alfred Molina, Paul Walter Hauser, and Jack Harlow Director: Doug Liman AMARÚ One of my favorite movie genres is stacked ensembles coming together to have tons of fun, and The Instigators is Ocean’s Eleven -level entertainment, with alums Matt Damon and Casey Affleck leading this comedy of criminal errors. Director Doug Liman reaffirms his ability to create great action movies with just the right amount of heart as he throws us straight into the fray with a breakneck pace, an intelligently quippy script, and irreverent yet genuine performances, especially from Damon. I couldn’t keep the smile off my face during this hilarious, rip-roaring heist-gone-wrong-in-all-the-right-ways. NICK Some of the best team-ups in film come from characters who find themselves working together due to happenstance, and The Instigators is yet another example. Led by Matt Damon and Casey Affleck, the pair's dynamic is what makes this film work as well as it does. With both being alumni of the Ocean's franchise, they channel that energy for an entertaining heist film filled with quippy dialogue and a collection of colourful side characters. After some questionable decisions in his recent work, it's nice to see director Doug Liman tackle a film like this. It’s a solid match. QUENTIN It seems most comedies nowadays have become straight-to-streaming fare that are reminiscent of the entertaining-but-forgotten comedies of my 90s youth, like Money Train , Nothing to Lose , and Bulletproof . The type of come-and-go movie I loved at 15-years-old, but probably has no real legacy outside of those who experienced it as an indiscriminate teenager. The Instigators is further evidence of that notion. Despite delivering some light laughs, solid odd-couple banter, inoffensive action, and a collection of random stars in bit parts, it probably won’t register very long for anyone outside of modern-day adolescents who will eventually have rose-colored, “The Instigators ? I loved that movie!” nostalgia for it. PAIGE Although The Instigators is an entertaining on-the-run movie, Doug Liman's blue-collar heist film is just another typical action comedy. Don't get me wrong, the material is elevated by the sardonic wit and dialogue, as well as the charming Boston accents from Casey Affleck and Matt Damon, but, overall, the genre isn't expanded upon. Plus, the plot is a little wonky at times. Though there is some fun to be had with this flick, and it was nice to see the accurate depiction of Massachusetts driving, just don’t expect the next great Boston crime film.

THE MONKEY Starring: Theo James, Tatiana Maslany, Elijah Wood, Christian Convery, Colin O’Brien, Rohan Campbell, and Sarah Levy Director: Osgood Perkins ADRIANO After the excellent Longlegs , writer/director Osgood Perkins' follow-up, The Monkey , not only fails to meet that high bar, it doesn't even come close. At first, the film's unhinged comedy-horror tone worked, and I was even laughing at some of the vicious kills. However, after a time jump, I was less forgiving of the obviously bad writing and uninteresting familial storyline. Even worse, the kills became less fun, it was rather tensionless, and in the end, the film wound up being very cynical about death's inevitability without any real reason beyond cynicism. QUENTIN Most horror comedies go wrong by trying to insert jokes into situations meant to be tense, causing neither the humor nor the dread to fully land. Director Osgood Perkins must share this view because The Monkey is a hilarious addition to the genre that does well to mesh playfulness with mayhem by relying on over-the-top, tongue-in-cheek, self-aware campiness to bring the laughs instead of being “jokey.” The ridiculous death scenes conjure memories of Final Destination (but far gorier), and although the family storyline slows the gruesomely fun momentum at times, I was kept in eager anticipation for the next grindhouse-style kill. I had a blast. ROBERT As a society, we are aware that creepy toys are always the embodiments of evil, but The Monkey sees director Osgood Perkins raising the stakes on that truth, tenfold. Throughout the film, we are treated to a plethora of accidental deaths trumped up to drive home their hilarity, and the snickers and giggles never wane. While the underlying drama is unengaging, the set pieces and staged kill scenes never disappoint. Perkins understands how best to curate shots for timing and tension in this type of environment, and kudos to the cast for knowing the assignment and running with it full sprint. PAIGE The Monkey is a complete departure from director Osgood Perkins' previous film, Longlegs , because the director was clearly more inclined to focus on the zany and absurd aspects of the story rather than its dreadful and moody tone. While the movie excels with its inventive kills and sheer body count, it fails miserably when trying to capitalize on the humor of it all. The dialogue throughout this horror comedy is embarrassingly cringeworthy, too. I would have had a somewhat better time had the movie maintained the intensity it displayed during its first half, but, overall, I did not go bananas for The Monkey . NICK Coming off last year's horror hit Longlegs , director Osgood Perkins had firmly stamped himself as “one to watch.” Not even a year later, we get his follow-up, The Monkey , and it’s as if it was directed by an entirely different person. Despite its clever marketing, this film is neither scary nor funny (although it thinks it’s the latter), instead falling somewhere between annoying and disjointed. Nothing stands out positively, including the kills, which are somehow the highlight yet still play like a Final Destination rip-off. Last year was a really good year for monkey films, but that streak has come to a screeching halt. BODE If there’s one thing about Longlegs that caught me off guard, it was the sly sense of humour effectively sprinkled throughout all the dread. So, knowing that director Osgood Perkins would lean more into comedy with his follow-up, The Monkey , was fairly exciting. Unfortunately, he’s not totally successful with his pivot. There is fun to be had initially, especially with some of the kills, but as the unengaging familial drama gets more of a focus later on, the film loses plenty of steam and never fully recovers. The flat jokes and smug attitude it adopts don’t help either. Overall, The Monkey is a disappointment. KATIE The Monkey is not a particularly high-quality film, but it's a good time at the cinema. I find that the majority of horror comedies don’t do either element well, mixing them rather than giving the right amount of attention to either one, but I enjoyed the way The Monkey alternates between a creepy atmosphere, grisly kills, and cheesy humour. Theo James is funny in the dual role of Hal and Bill, but the familial drama is weak, adding to a recent stint of horror films that rely on a damaged father-son relationship for emotional engagement. However, they all fail since they feel perfunctory and ultimately empty. BRYAN With it being Osgood Perkins’ follow-up to the excellent Longlegs , there was a lot riding on The Monkey . Unfortunately, the execution fails to match what was promised in the marketing, reminding us that not all short stories can successfully transition into feature-length territory. Theo James is doing his best with the material given, and some of the scares are cleverly staged, but the blending of humor and horror is where the film hits a lot of bumps as the repetitiveness wears thin quickly. Plus, talk about major tonal inconsistency. I didn’t walk out of this feeling angry, but more so disappointed.

THE SON Starring: Hugh Jackman, Laura Dern, Vanessa Kirby, Zen McGrath, and Anthony Hopkins Director: Florian Zeller NICK Director Florian Zeller undoes all of the goodwill he garnered with his debut film, The Father, with this shallow and manipulative offering. Zeller fails to show even a basic understanding of mental health issues, and his attempts at showing familial ones lack authenticity. It’s genuinely shocking that both films are by the same director. Hugh Jackman has his moments, but no one is at their best here, particularly Zen McGrath, who just isn’t up to the task of leading this film. There’s no point in sugar coating it: The Son may be part of the awards conversation, but it’s nothing more than melodramatic bullshit. QUENTIN When you have a movie about teenage depression called The Son , you need to nail the casting of the titular offspring. Sadly, this movie really dropped the ball on that. Zen McGrath doesn’t have what it takes to make you sympathetic to his character’s state of mind. Instead, he comes off as bratty and annoying. Admittedly, the writing does him no favors, giving so little backstory that it’s hard to even feel empathy for him while almost making him a side character since the son is just a pawn to examine the father. Granted, there’s a good idea in there somewhere, but it’s not on screen. ADRIANO Director Florian Zeller’s follow-up to the Oscar-winning The Father , The Son , is a horrible, sadistic, and exploitative abomination. This movie is about a parent who doesn’t understand his son’s depression, which oddly mirrors the movie’s writing. Zeller just has such a narrow idea of what teenage depression is that it’s embarrassing. The cast, besides Vanessa Kirby, feel less like genuine performances and more like actors on their knees begging for an Oscar, and the ending is a series of messed-up manipulative ploys that had me sprinting out of the theatre once it finished. It’s an absolute trainwreck. DARRYL In time, The Son may ultimately go down as the worst film of director Florian Zeller’s career. What could have been a complex, nuanced look at mental health, its impact on the family, and advocating proper care for those who need it, ends up as a hackneyed, overly simplistic story with spotty acting and the reinforcement of harmful stereotypes. Hugh Jackman’s performance alone isn’t enough to salvage the weak screenplay or one-dimensional characters. While Zeller’s technical direction is fine enough, the overall disappointment of the film and its messages makes this so far one of the most discouraging movies of the year. JACOB From the director of one of the best movies of 2020 comes one of the worst of 2022. Florian Zeller’s The Son is a miss on just about every level it can be, though not for lack of trying. The writing feels hackneyed and surface-level at best, the performances are made worse by having to utter some truly terrible dialogue, and beyond all of that, it’s a bore to look at. The Achilles heel of it, though, is Zen McGrath, whose one-note performance indicates that he is not ready to be a crucial figure in any film any time soon. This film was reviewed by Nick and Adriano as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival.

THE GREATEST HITS Starring: Lucy Boynton, David Corenswet, Justin H. Min, Austin Crute, Retta, Nelly Furtado, Tom Yi, Jenne Kang, and Andie Ju Director: Ned Benson KATIE The concept of The Greatest Hits is far more compelling than its execution because it never commits to the interesting idea at its core, treating it as an obstacle rather than exploring its potential. We also aren't given enough time with protagonist Harriet’s (Lucy Boynton) former boyfriend, so I didn’t care about him or understand her infatuation with their relationship. As soon as the new love interest (Justin H. Min) is introduced, it's obvious what will happen; however, he and Harriet lack romantic chemistry, which is a shame since I can forgive pretty much anything in a romance if the leads have a strong connection. PAIGE The Greatest Hits is a great love letter to the power of music, but as a love story, it falls flat. Even though the movie doesn't spend much time establishing the concept, it was probably necessary so that the story could add weight to the heavy themes of pain and loss. The general beats of the plot feel a bit out of tune despite there being some touching, sentimental moments strewn throughout the film. All in all, The Greatest Hits is a charming yet unsatisfying romance movie.

GUNSLINGERS Starring: Nicolas Cage, Scarlet Rose Stallone, Heather Graham, Stephen Dorff, Bre Blair, Cooper Barnes, Eric Mabius, Costas Mandylor, and Tzi Ma Director: Brian Skiba KATIE Gunslingers is laughably, outrageously bad. The only redeeming aspect of this film is that if you view it through a satirical lens, it's quite hilarious, but that was not the intention. From its suspiciously AI-generated-looking establishing shot, the calibre of filmmaking is clear. Each performer feels like they’re in a different film, and some of them are so wooden that I was not surprised to learn at least one cast member has a recognisable surname. Everything looks cheap, and the hair and make-up are distractingly modern. Together with the choppy editing, nonsensical plot, and absurd shoot-outs, not even Nicolas Cage’s ridiculousness could salvage this mess. ROBERT There is a standard of quality for straight-to-VOD efforts that Gunslingers , on its best day, couldn’t achieve. I will say that the title indicates what type of film to expect, but other than that, it gets no grace. The acting is comparable to an elementary school play, the sound design reminds me of a screechy drive-thru window, and you could put a GoPro on a flying squirrel and have more logically composed shots. And lastly, there is off-kilter Nic Cage, but this isn’t even bad to the point of fun. Pirating this would cost too much. QUENTIN You already know that I only watched this because I am a Nic Cage completist. Once again, he proves that, as an actor, he is always doing something interesting even if the movie isn’t, because Gunslingers is BAD bad. I’m talking so bad that if the right people find it, it could 100 percent be the next The Room . It’s cheap looking, unintentionally hilarious, terribly acted (outside of Cage, of course, who is making choices ), and just an all-around disaster full of genre clichés and stereotypes. It might be, no exaggeration, the worst western I’ve ever seen. Still, one reel for Cage and midnight movie potential.

FRESH Starring: Sebastian Stan, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Jojo T. Gibbs, Dayo Okeniyi, and Charlotte Le Bon Director: Mimi Cave NICK We’re only in March, but between Fresh and Pam & Tommy , Sebastian Stan is here to make 2022 his year. This film, which explores the dark potentials of dating in the modern world, is another outlet for Stan to flex his acting chops. It’s so evident how much fun he has in his roles, and that only enhances his performance as Steve. He’s joined by Daisy Edgar-Jones, who is starting to make a name for herself, and the two have such a natural chemistry. It’s a difficult film to discuss spoiler-free, but Fresh is great. Go in with as little information as possible. JOSEPH Fresh is absolutely wild and insane. I went in with virtually no expectations and was thrilled. It’s such a fun film to watch thanks to the twists and turns that keep you constantly guessing what’s going to happen next. Sebastian Stan, in particular, gives such a bizarre performance, but it’s a flawless one. Daisy Edgar-Jones is a great final girl too, inspiring you to root for her throughout the film. If there’s any real flaw, it’s that Fresh ends with a few unanswered questions, but nothing you can’t forgive. Other than that, it’s good, bloody fun. PAIGE Director Mimi Cave makes a spectacular meal out of the horrors of modern dating in her brand new film Fresh . Daisy Edgar-Jones and Sebastian Stan give superb performances and are electric together as the film’s central duo. Meanwhile, Cave brings the film stylishly to life, leaving the audience uncomfortable and on the edge of their seats craving more (not to mention gifting us a killer soundtrack). If you like dark and twisted horror comedies, then this flick will quench your appetite! QUENTIN For the first half hour, Fresh is dripping with tension as you try to figure out what Steve’s (Sebastian Stan) game is. However, the 30-minute mark is when the opening credits roll (yes, 30 minutes into the movie), the movie reveals what’s what, and the entire thing fizzles out. It’s hard to articulate its issues without entering spoiler territory, but just know that you’ve seen this basic story several times before and it mostly plays out exactly like you’d expect. To his credit, Stan seems to be relishing his role, but Fresh is a boring entry in an overplayed and hard-to-make-original genre.

WHAT JOSIAH SAW Starring: Robert Patrick, Nick Stahl, Scott Haze, Kelli Garner, Jake Weber, and Tony Hale Director: Vincent Grashaw QUENTIN Based on the performances and atmosphere alone, What Josiah Saw is decent southern gothic horror. It’s probably even better if you know what to expect going in (which I did not). Namely, that the story structure is practically an anthology. If you don’t know that from the start, everything feels random and unconnected. The first act, which plays like Frailty , gives way to a second act that is reminiscent of Pulp Fiction , which gives way to a third act that’s kinda sorta like American Beauty . It’s very jarring. That said, everything eventually ties together in a mostly satisfying way that is brutal, tense, and deviant. JOSEPH What Josiah Saw has all the moodiness and talent to deliver an engrossing story about familial secrets and horrors of the past, but this southern gothic tale failed to deliver on nearly every aspect, especially with regards to the story. Every time I thought the film was going somewhere, I was mistaken, and whatever point the film was trying to make did not register with me at all. Despite a promising premise, a halfway decent finale, and some beautiful cinematography, the final scene only cemented my distaste for this film that barely managed to keep me interested.

SEE HOW THEY RUN Starring: Sam Rockwell, Saoirse Ronan, Adrien Brody, Ruth Wilson, Reece Shearsmith, Harris Dickinson, Charlie Cooper, Pippa Bennett-Warner, Pearl Chanda, Sian Clifford, Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, and David Oyelowo Director: Tom George JACOB See How They Run doesn’t exactly have the most interesting set of characters for its love letter to whodunnits, but there’s an old-timey charm in the way it all comes together. Although the plot is overly convoluted, and Knives Out did this better three years ago, it’s still fun following the meta-infused mystery while watching a delightful Saoirse Ronan nail her comic bits (she’s easily the best part). There’s far too many plot twists and the meta-ness of it does become a bit grating after a fashion, but it’s far from a total waste. And your grandparents will love it. QUENTIN See How They Run isn’t necessarily a bad movie, and I admit that having seen Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery mere days before might be coloring my opinion, but it’s an overly bland mystery better saved for your grandparents. It’s going for an Agatha Christie meets Wes Anderson vibe that never really gels, while the whodunnit aspect lacks effective red herrings, good twists, or even interesting breadcrumbs to follow. Saoirse Ronan seems to be having fun, but no one else brings much to the table, not even the usually dynamic Sam Rockwell. How they managed to waste him is the real mystery here.

THE OUT-LAWS Starring: Adam DeVine, Nina Dobrev, Ellen Barkin, Pierce Brosnan, Poorna Jagannathan, Richard Kind, Julie Hagerty, Lil Rel Howery, and Michael Rooker Director: Tyler Spindel QUENTIN While there are enough amusing one-liners, roguish Pierce Brosnan charm, and light heist elements to keep The Out-Laws mildly entertaining, it’s nothing more than another forgettable Netflix Original. For better or worse, it feels so much like a typical Kevin Hart comedy (buttoned-up, always-plays-it-safe nice guy is forced to do something dangerous) that I wouldn’t be surprised if he was offered it before Adam DeVine. Except, as tiring as Hart’s schtick has become playing this same type of character again and again, DeVine just doesn’t pull it off quite as well. Still, there are worse things to have on in the background while folding laundry. NICK You'd be justified in not expecting much from a Happy Madison Netflix film, but as this one is filled with actors I've always liked (Pierce Brosnan, Michael Rooker, Lil Rel Howery), I had hopes it would turn out okay. I was mistaken. Adam DeVine's schtick has never really worked for me, so that didn't help matters, but the main issue is that the script (the dialogue specifically) just isn't very funny. The general plot and talent involved brought potential, but both are wasted, sadly. What could have been a fun comedy becomes another inoffensive and forgettable Netflix entry that is destined to become background noise.

BEVERLY HILLS COP: AXEL F Starring: Eddie Murphy, Taylour Paige, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Kevin Bacon, Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, Paul Reiser and Bronson Pinchot Director: Mark Molloy AMARÚ Axel F is exactly what you want from a legacy sequel. It pays homage to the originals, mirroring a lot of scenes without feeling too reductive (although, it is juuuust a bit), yet it’s modernized without trying too hard. The action is grounded, Eddie Murphy is natural, and his chemistry hits with franchise vets and new cast members alike. He and Taylour Paige bring dramatic heft to balance the silliness, while Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays the perfect amount of cool off of Murphy’s comedic gravity. The nostalgia is heavy in this one, but when building on the classics, nostalgia helps solidify what’s new. PRESTON An unapologetic nod to the original Beverly Hills Cop , Netflix’s sequel Axel F is packed with nostalgia. The tone is similar to the first, and the cinematography is decent, but the script is extremely flat. The comedic elements attempted are of the half-smirk variety, and none of the characters seem to genuinely connect. The first few action scenes are a little difficult to stomach, but its predictable flow and outcome are entertaining enough. Otherwise, the best part of the film is the score from Lorne Balfe, who repurposes Harold Faltermeyer’s original “Axel F Theme Song” into varyingly paced, synthesizer magic. QUENTIN In my review of Bad Boys: Ride or Die , I said, “there are a few nostalgic callbacks…but ehhh. Amusing, but never funny; actiony, but never exciting.” That pretty much applies to Axel F too. That said, perhaps you’ll get more mileage from Eddie Murphy than Martin Lawrence and Will Smith, or (like me) you’ll find the soundtrack is full of bops, including the timeless “Axel F” theme, that call back to my youth. Either way, for better or worse, this is about what I expected from another unnecessary, lazy, straight-to-streaming legacy sequel to a stone-cold Murphy classic (remember Coming 2 America ? I almost didn’t). ADRIANO Axel F is fine, I guess. The crime plot is uninteresting, I felt nothing with the father-daughter subplot (Taylour Paige is actively bad in this), the nostalgia baiting is pathetic, and the action and most of the humour fall flat. I gotta say, though…Eddie Murphy has still got it! His delivery got consistent laughs out of me, lifting even the most subpar jokes in the movie to a legitimate belly laugh, which is all I really ask for with an Eddie Murphy movie. So, while this movie is certainly not very good, I had fun with it.

PREY Starring: Amber Midthunder, Dakota Beavers, Stormee Kipp, Michelle Thrush, Julian Black Antelope, Bennett Taylor, and Dane DiLiegro Director: Dan Trachtenberg AMARÚ Well before the Predator arrives on screen, Prey is badass. Building on her standout performance in the TV show Legion , Amber Midthunder (Naru) blends vulnerability and intensity to introduce a character worthy of going toe-to-toe with the Predator. Her relationship with her tribe, especially her brother Naabe (Dakota Beavers), is a highlight that builds character and action, some of which are the best choreographed scenes in the entire franchise. Prey pays homage to the brutality of the franchise starter, but adds an emotional resonance that arguably elevates it to the top spot of the series. Plus, top tier movie dog. NICK I’ve never had an emotional connection to the Predator franchise, but damn if I don’t keep coming back even when it continues to underwhelm. Well, that trend has come to an end because Prey has not only rejuvenated the Predator name, but also provides numerous directions to take future projects. The claustrophobic storytelling that director Dan Trachtenberg used in the fantastic 10 Cloverfield Lane is on full display here, and it works wonderfully to create tension. But most importantly, the star of this show (as it should be) is the Predator itself. The gadgets, the precision, and the violence are all here. Well done. QUENTIN Fans, rejoice! It took 35 years, but with Prey , we finally have a worthy sequel to Predator . It’s a little slow to start, but once it gets going, it’s everything the other five Predator sequels aren’t. It’s tense, propulsive, full of action, and purposefully blood-soaked, not to mention delightfully lean and surprisingly well-acted. Plus, the Comanche-ness of it all provides a fresh entry point to what is, if we’re being honest, a fairly generic plot. Most of all, though, it just feels like a Predator movie, and I applaud director Dan Trachtenberg for not trying to make it anything more than that. Now do Alien. JACOB Despite some occasionally shoddy VFX and an awkwardly-placed title card, Prey is one of the best streaming films to come out in 2022, and it absolutely deserved a theatrical release. Director Dan Trachtenberg’s prequel to 1987’s Predator is full of heart, tension, and thrilling set-pieces worthy of not only carrying the franchise brand but evolving it. Amber Midthunder is an excellent action heroine (with a great movie dog), and the film’s score, cinematography, and sound design match that excellence. There are some elements that feel slightly unnecessary given their outcomes, but it’s not as if they don’t make sense considering the story’s setting. PAIGE Prey delivers a thrilling survival story led by Amber Midthunder that puts the Predator franchise back at the top of the food chain. It’s a bloody masterpiece! This is a Predator film done right, and is easily the best entry since the original. Even though we know all the story beats, director Dan Trachtenberg understands what made the 1987 classic so great, and he uses that to make this film feel fresh just by bringing it back to basics. Hands down, this movie should have gotten a theatrical release because it’s that good! ADRIANO This is how you do a Predator movie, Shane Black! Everything I love about Predator , it’s in there. Tense atmospheric horror, the Predator absolutely ripping people to shreds, and a hell of a fun time. It also helps that Amber Midthunder makes for a badass lead, and the concept itself is pretty interesting. Its lone flaw is that it’s on Hulu and not in theaters, which really isn’t a flaw in the grand scheme of things. Point is, Prey absolutely slaps. At last, we have a worthy entry in the franchise.