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The latest film reviews from a diverse, global collective of writers! FILM REVIEWS

DEATH BY LIGHTNING Starring: Michael Shannon, Matthew Macfadyen, Betty Gilpin, Shea Whigham, Bradley Whitford, and Nick Offerman Creator: Mike Makowsky QUENTIN Handsomely made and impeccably cast, Death by Lightning is a quick history lesson about a forgotten era of American politics that is surprisingly still relevant. The miniseries’ only flaw is the story is too condensed. It attempts to explore civil service reform in a post-Civil War society, government cronyism, and the man and motive behind President Garfield’s (Michael Shannon) assassination. That’s way too much for four episodes. Afterwards, I rushed to Google to learn more, which is both a compliment and a complaint for a historical drama. Still, through the commanding performances, I was gripped by the political intrigue and left wondering what could have been.

Previous Next November 19, 2025 WRITTEN BY: QUENTIN As we approach the end of 2025’s film festival season, I was able to squeeze in one more before the year ran out. For the first time ever, I was lucky enough to attend International FilmFestival Mannheim-Heidelberg (IFFMH). For those who don’t know, IFFMH began in 1952 and is the second-oldest film festival in Germany. It focuses on arthouse and auteur cinema from international newcomer directors and historically has served as a springboard for experimental filmmakers generally overlooked by Western audiences. Some filmmakers that have showed their early work at IFFMH include François Truffaut, Wim Wenders, Jim Jarmusch, Atom Egoyan, Thomas Vinterberg, and Derek Cianfrance. Actually, just check out their mission statement: The IFFMH celebrates innovation, as well as narrative and aesthetic courage. It stands for new experiences. The festival acts as a compass and a trend scout, discovering new talents and presenting visionaries, opening horizons and revitalizing the historical. The IFFMH creates a social experience context. As a mediator and networker of different cultural scenes, the IFFMH creates spaces for exchange between filmmakers and audiences. From an on-the-ground perspective, although it may not boast the brand recognition or mainstream titles of the more well-known film festivals, IFFMH’s lineup was impressive, nonetheless. It featured many of the smaller, international titles that won acclaim, if not actual hardware, at every other major festival, including Venice, Cannes, Berlin, Toronto and Sundance. So, yeah, it’s a great festival, especially for those seeking out new discoveries, and I look forward to covering IFFMH 75 next year. Also, special shout out to Public Relations Director, Rebecca Raab, who was the most responsive and helpful festival liaison I’ve ever had the pleasure of interacting with. She made it all so seamless, and most of all, stress-free. Due to scheduling conflicts, I was able to catch 18 movies this year, which, to me, feels like rookie numbers, but probably only in comparison to other festivals I’ve covered. Still, 18 movies while balancing my full-time day job and unreliable trains between Stuttgart and Mannheim is still pretty decent. Were the movies any good, though? I’m so glad you asked… 18. PETER HUJAR'S DAY Aside from the most dedicated Peter Hujar fans, if you even know who that is (I sure didn’t), I have no clue who Peter Hujar’s Day is for. I say this with no exaggeration, but this movie is literally 70 minutes of Hujar (Ben Whishaw) telling Linda Rosenkrantz (Rebecca Hall) about his day. Yes, it’s as banal and mundane as it sounds. There is so little substance here that it’s nearly impossible to review, other than to say that if you want to be a fly on the wall for a long, name-dropping conversation between two strangers, good news. Excellent 70s home-movie aesthetic, though. 17. TRAFFIC Traffic is, ostensibly, an art heist movie; however, if you go in expecting the fun hallmarks of the genre, you’ll be sorely disappointed. Technically, yes, there is a heist, but the movie isn’t about the heist. It’s about migrant labor, classism, perceived ethnic hierarchies, and the poor trying to rise above their station, all of which is presented with bleak realism (admittedly, that could just be Romanian cinema’s vibe). While the themes are easily digestible, they didn’t resonate with my American brain, nor did the underdeveloped characters. Plus, the heist and subsequent manhunt fall flat. Perhaps this is an example of being lost in translation, though. 16. MOTHER As I understand it, Mother is a fictional tale about Mother Teresa (Noomi Rapace) in the days before she leaves her convent to establish Missionaries of Charity. The thing is… if it’s fictional, who cares? Isn’t there a worthy true story to provide insight into the modern-day saint? On top of that, it jumps between dry character study and horror-tinged moments backed by heavy metal music, which is a jarringly odd combination. So, in the end, we’re left with a fanfic biopic that generally suggests nothing more than Mother Teresa was more complex than the infallible icon we picture in our heads? Cool story, I guess. 15. THE SUMMER BOOK Growing up, I often spent summers in the Kentucky countryside with my great-grandmother, who did not have a television or many modern conveniences to keep a child entertained. The Summer Book took me back to those days, which made for a nostalgic trip down memory lane, but not so much an entertaining movie-viewing experience. There is an old-fashioned stillness in the relationship between Grandmother (Glenn Close) and Sophia (Emily Matthews) that I generally relate to, and the Finnish coastal countryside is beautifully shot. However, much like my pre-adolescent self during those summers, I was left waiting for something — anything! — to break the monotony. 14. THE THINGS YOU KILL I’ve never been a big fan of director David Lynch, so when things are described as Lynchian, it’s not exactly a selling point. Furthermore, Lynchian surrealism is hard enough to understand in English, so watching it through subtitles can make it doubly confusing. The Things You Kill is exactly that — an extremely slow, very Lynchian tale about a man dealing with generational inner darkness and feelings of inadequacy in a patriarchal society. It’s the type of movie whose meaning I needed to clarify after the fact, and honestly, the explanation I found on Google was far more interesting than the actual movie I had just watched. This review originally posted with Bitesize Breakdown’s coverage of Fantasy Filmfest 39. 13. REEDLAND From a craft perspective, Reedland does enough excellent things that I’m curious to see what director Sven Bresser does next. Despite being his debut, the cinematography, sound design, and performance pulled from non-actor and actual reed farmer Gerrit Knobbe demonstrate an incredible amount of skill and a well-assembled crew behind the camera. However, Bresser also wrote Reedland , and while it’s steeped in dread and foreboding atmosphere, I genuinely have no idea what it’s about. Random MacGuffins that lead to nowhere populate the story — a dead girl, black goo, a random rock, a threatening tractor — ultimately resulting in a movie that feels like a narrative Winchester House. 12. BLUE HERON I can’t say Blue Heron is a bad movie; I can say, for better or worse, it is extremely reminiscent of Aftersun , a movie whose critical acclaim I never understood. It’s not that I don’t get writer-director Sophy Romvari’s intent as she explores her fractured memory and hinted-at trauma, but the slow pacing and jarring shift to a pseudo-documentary make it all too clinical. I was never invested in Sasha’s experience as an oblivious child (Eylul Guven) or as an answer-seeking adult (Amy Zimmer). I genuinely hope Blue Heron helped Romvari process whatever she needed to process, but this therapy session doesn’t need an audience. 11. MILE END KICKS I’m learning that most coming-of-age movies aren’t for me anymore. Whether that’s because I’m too far removed from my own experiences, or I simply don’t relate to those of younger generations, I’m not always sure. With Mile End Kicks, it’s definitely the latter. My memories of being young, dumb, and in love (or lust) as an American guy whose 20s started in 2001 simply don’t mirror those of a Canadian girl whose 20s seem to start around 2011. I’m too separated from Grace (a terrific Barbie Ferreira) for this story to resonate, which mostly just left me frustrated by her bad decisions (the closing scene, especially). 10. LIFEHACK The latest “screenlife” offering, a filmmaking approach I’m not sold on yet, LifeHack is excellent for the 30 minutes when the crypto heist takes place. These moments are surprisingly full of anxiety-inducing tension and white-knuckle suspense. Everything that comes before and after? Not so much. The format is far too manic and moves far too quickly for the viewer to ever settle in. It also doesn’t allow for great character development, so it’s hard to be super invested in any of them (particularly when they’re as annoying as Sid (Roman Hayeck-Green)). That said, it definitely makes one think about their online presence. It’s scary out there. 9. RENTAL FAMILY Given these turbulent times, if you need a source — any source — of optimistic, heartwarming feels, Rental Family will almost certainly deliver. Granted, those feels are incredibly shallow and extremely superficial since the characters are mostly just pawns to get you to the next saccharine story beat, but good feels are good feels. Unfortunately, the narrative doesn’t have much lasting heft behind it either because Brendan Fraser is somewhat miscast, with his ever-present teddy bear persona never allowing for a full character arc. Still, you could do worse than Rental Family , even if this cynic found it to be a little too sentimental. This review originally posted with Bitesize Breakdown’s coverage of Zurich Film Festival 2025. 8. NOVIEMBRE When making a dramatized account of a historical event, you need to ensure the audience has at least barebones awareness of the event. Noviembre assumes everyone is familiar with 1985’s Palace of Justice siege by dropping viewers directly into the situation with very little context. It’s unclear if the guerillas are radical terrorists or revolutionaries fighting a corrupt system, which makes it tough to know whose side the viewer should be on (made worse by minimal character development). That said, the Paul Greengrass-inspired direction provides gritty realism and chaotic tension, but there wasn’t enough for me, an unfamiliar, to grasp on to. I needed a pre-brief. 7. KIKA Although not exactly what I expected, Kika (also known as Madame Kika ) is an effective exploration of the things we must do to survive, both financially and emotionally, in the wake of tragedy. I wouldn’t necessarily call it a comedy, but there is certainly more humor than I anticipated as it faithfully shows the awkwardness that can come with true self-discovery, especially as one enters a socially taboo alternative lifestyle. Much like Pillion , Kika is not here to kink shame or judge the dom/sub dynamic, instead offering a disarming and contemplative portrait of a person reckoning with grief on her own terms. 6. LEMONADE BLESSING Remember what I said above about coming-of-age movies? I’m about to contradict it. Lemonade Blessing does a terrific job of putting viewers in the headspace of a religious high school student experiencing first love while internalizing a devout parent’s messaging that all perfectly natural hormonal urges lead to eternal damnation. Grounded yet teetering near the absurd, every aspect of the story feels rooted in realism, from the male friendships to the overbearing parents to just wanting to fit in. At times, it’s compassionately uncomfortable, giving off strong Eighth Grade vibes. So, yeah… most coming-of-age movies aren’t for me anymore; Lemonade Blessing was an exception. 5. FOLLIES Although it doesn’t break any new ground with its premise, Follies is a humorous, at times sad, yet ultimately uplifting exploration of a married couple trying to spice things up by opening their marriage. However, the approach and details add a fresh spin. Shooting with handheld 16mm cameras, using natural light, and deploying an almost mumblecore vibe keeps everything intimate, which means it never feels over-sexualized like some movies like this can be. Furthering that are the small, lived-in details, like the interactions with their children and relatable situations where they each want to ensure they are correctly following the “rules.” It’s all very authentically charming. 4. THE THREESOME Given The Threesome ’s absurd premise, it could have been an over-the-top, jokey comedy like Wedding Crashers . Instead, director Chad Hartigan goes the route of grounded maturity as it explores the different experiences women can have with unexpected pregnancy. Zoey Deutch and Ruby Cruz give layered performances as women facing same-but-different circumstances, with the movie being thoroughly theirs even as we experience it through Connor’s (Jonah Hauer-King) point-of-view. Unfortunately, Connor is presented as such a blandly milquetoast nice guy, which is more the script’s fault than Hauer-King’s, that it brings the rest of the movie down a bit. Still, it’s an overall endearing take on modern romance. 3. ROOFMAN Roofman is a charming love story featuring charming performances that surely will charm a non-discerning couple on date night. No, it’s not particularly memorable, but it’s a highly rewatchable blend of comedy, heart, and 90s nostalgia. Yet, I was left wondering why I was rooting for this dirtbag. Because he’s polite? All of Jeffrey Manchester’s (Channing Tatum) rough edges have been sanded down to create an almost algorithm-generated leading man that ladies may fawn over. That’s fine, I suppose, but it makes for an overly sugarcoated, crowd-pleasing movie seemingly afraid to explore the more complicated themes present in fear of losing general audiences (and box office revenue). This review originally posted with Bitesize Breakdown’s coverage of Zurich Film Festival 2025. 2. THE LAST VIKING I’m not sure why, but it seems the world takes Mads Mikkelsen’s acting talent for granted. In The Last Viking, he gives a hilarious, against-type performance (relative to everything I’ve seen him do, at least) that is sweet, silly, and lovable. He, alone, is worth the price of admission. His brilliance aside, director Anders Thomas Jensen has successfully mixed Rain Main, The Dream Team, and The Coen Bros. to create a movie that is as moving as it is violent. On paper, I’m not sure any of it should work, but it all comes together beautifully as something heartfelt, sincere, and darkly entertaining. This review originally posted with Bitesize Breakdown’s coverage of Zurich Film Festival 2025. 1. IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT Tonally, It Was Just an Accident is unexpected. Generally speaking, it has tension without being tense and humor without being funny, but director Jafar Panahi’s ability to walk that tightrope is a major reason why the film works as well as it does. Make no mistake, the commentary on authoritarianism, which is as applicable to the Iranian regime as it is to current American politics, is morally complex and thought-provoking as it explores the cycle of revenge and violence between oppressors and the oppressed. But that tonal balance keeps it accessible by not letting it slip too far into darkness. It was a worthy Palme d’Or winner.

RABBIT HOLE Starring: Kiefer Sutherland, Meta Golding, Enid Graham, Rob Yang, Walt Klink, Jason Butler Harner, and Charles Dance Creators: Glenn Ficarra and John Requa NICK Be it 24 , Touch , or Designated Survivor , Kiefer Sutherland is infinitely watchable as a series lead, and while it may not reach the heights of some of those others, Rabbit Hole is an entertaining Sutherland vehicle (with a devilish Charles Dance riding shotgun). Where it falters, however, is in trying to be too clever. Its focus on conspiracies is interesting, but things become so convoluted between multiple story threads and flashbacks that it genuinely becomes hard to follow. I wish they had kept a more singular focus because, as it stands, I’d rather see a different project from Kiefer than a return to this character. QUENTIN Rabbit Hole is a weird show in that I was engaged for every episode, but when standing back to look at the entire season, it’s a mess. The biggest problem is that it’s unnecessarily convoluted, to the point that I would often forget what the overarching mystery was. In fact, I accidentally skipped an episode and didn’t even notice until a few days later. That’s how little the serialized storyline truly matters. Still though, on a week-to-week basis, Kiefer Sutherland and the episodic schemes kept me coming back. So, as disposable, conspiracy-driven television, it’s fine, but it’s not the reason to subscribe to Paramount+.

Previous Next February 27, 2023 WRITTEN BY: QUENTIN After taking Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) by storm last September (40 movies in 11 days!), I knew going in that Berlin International Film Festival, or Berlinale, was going to be a different beast altogether due to the inherent language barrier, the February timeframe, the serious focus on the “international” aspect, and the fact that I was the lone Bitesize writer in attendance. Also, since I couldn't attend the entire 11-day festival, my time in Berlin was going to be extremely truncated, so given all that, how could it be the same experience? In the end, I only had 72 hours at Berlinale, which, with some scheduling magic, afforded me the time to see seven movies and the opportunity to visit famed sites like CheckPoint Charlie, Berlin Cathedral, and the highly rated speakeasy Bellboy Berlin. All in all, it was a good trip that came together better than I anticipated. I’ll talk more about the films I saw in a bit, but first, let’s talk about the Berlinale experience. Ultimately, all the things I mentioned above had a huge impact on my festival experience; not in a “bad” way, but in a “it’s just different” way. For one, the language barrier made it extremely difficult to chat and network with other critics and film fans. Couple that with the fact that, unlike TIFF, nearly all the festival theaters were roughly 20 minutes from each other by train, and the whole experience simply felt a little less communal and celebrated. Sure, there were posters hanging around town, but there wasn’t a centrally located “Fest Street” like at TIFF. Furthermore, the overall vibe was pretty subdued…like, if you didn’t know the festival was happening, you might not have noticed it at all. Admittedly, the weather was awful: cold, windy, and rainy (like “pouring piss out of a boot,” as my late grandfather would say), which I’m sure put a damper on things, but still…. it just didn’t feel very festive. On the plus side, the international focus and early festival date created an environment for true film discovery. TIFF premiered movies like The Fabelmans , Glass Onion , and The Whale , all of which came with massive hype and expectations as we neared awards season. Berlinale doesn’t play the same because there isn’t any hype or narrative surrounding these movies yet (most don’t have trailers or even posters), so you’re basically throwing darts. For example, I chose one movie merely because Alicia Silverstone was in it, which is a weird sentence to say in 2023. Also, I was able to secure extra tickets to two screenings, so my girlfriend got to enjoy a bit of the festival experience as well, including the world premiere, red carpet, and Q&A for Reality , starring Sydney Sweeney. As for those dart throws, I got pretty lucky because they hit the mark for the most part. Speaking of which, let’s talk about some movies… PERPETRATOR This is the movie I chose mostly because of Alicia Silverstone, but I was also intrigued by the synopsis and Midnight Madness horror vibes it gave off. And frankly, there weren’t a ton of options for the time window I had. Unfortunately, my first Berlinale movie was also the worst movie I saw. It’s never lacking in gore or violence, but the whole affair feels like a slightly elevated student film, from the amateurish acting to the over-the-topness of it all. It’s angry, visceral feminist horror, which isn’t a bad thing, but it plays more like a visual art experiment than a coherent movie. It’s simply overstuffed with too many ideas and too many swings at extreme and campy rawness. All that said, Cronenberg die-hards might find something here worth their while. As for Silverstone, her campy staccato line delivery is laughably distracting at times, but my teenage crush remains strong, nonetheless. Synopsis : On her 18th birthday, tough-girl Jonny (Kiah McKirnan) eats a cake baked by her aunt according to a magical family recipe and undergoes a radical metamorphosis. As several classmates go missing, a bloody coming-of-age story takes its course. Starring : Kiah McKirnan, Alicia Silverstone, Christopher Lowell, Melanie Liburd, and Ireon Roach Director : Jennifer Reeder BLACKBERRY Of all the movies available to me during my short time, BlackBerry is probably the one I was most looking forward to. For one, it seemed to be the most accessible movie for an English-speaking American in Germany because of its recognizable cast and my general familiarity with BlackBerry phones. But also, I love a good rise-and-fall corporate story, something this film certainly delivers. Tone-wise, it nimbly bounces between Silicon Valley and The Social Network , while the "rise" arc is much stronger than that of the "fall," which is a tad rushed. However, I can’t say enough about the casting. Glenn Howerton is perfect as a hot-headed corporate shark, bringing the same deep-seated rage he has demonstrated on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia for 15 seasons, and Jay Baruchel’s natural awkwardness serves his nerdy, “tech guy” character well. It’s not Oscar-worthy, but I wouldn’t be surprised if BlackBerry eventually wins some smaller awards down the line. Synopsis : Adapted from the bestselling book Losing the Signal , BlackBerry tells the story of the spectacular rise and meteoric fall of the world’s first Smartphone. A humorous but unforgiving modern-day tale of big business and the relentless need to stay on top. Starring : Jay Baruchel, Glenn Howerton, Matt Johnson, Cary Elwes, and Saul Rubinek Director : Matt Johnson REALITY Going in, I had a few reservations about Reality . If you aren’t aware, I am a former NSA contractor, so I have personal opinions about those who leak national secrets to the press, and typically, movies like this tend to go in the opposite direction of what I think. But I must give director Tina Satter credit because for most of the film’s 83-minute runtime, she doesn’t really take a side or paint Reality Winner (Sydney Sweeney) as a hero or a villain. The film remains neutral…until the last 10 minutes or so, when a quick montage belies that neutrality. Still, the movie is excellent. The approach is incredibly inventive, creating a surreal pseudo-documentary that helps establish a matter-of-fact point of view in the early goings. Plus, Sweeney is absolutely remarkable, playing a character that evolves from innocent naiveté to terrified realization with aplomb, and the chemistry and tension built between her, Josh Hamilton, and Marchánt Davis is off the charts. All in all, Reality should be on the shortlist of movies coming out of Berlinale with genuine Oscar buzz. Synopsis : Director Tina Satter presents a snapshot of recent U.S. history and, using unedited original dialogue from an FBI recording, re-enacts the 2017 search of NSA whistle-blower Reality Winner’s home as a tense chamber piece. Starring : Sydney Sweeney, Josh Hamilton, and Marchánt Davis Director : Tina Satter THE ADULTS Truth be told, broadly speaking, this isn’t a movie that I’d make an effort to see. I’m just not a fan of Michael Cera’s particular brand of insecure nerd quirk, and the “person reconnects with family on a random trip home” isn’t exactly my go-to genre. That said, slim pickings, a recognizable star, and the mention of poker addiction in the synopsis made it the default choice on an early Sunday morning. Turns out, I would have been right to avoid The Adults . First of all, the most interesting aspect to me (the poker addiction) is severely underdeveloped. The story never paints Eric (Cera) as a true addict. He’s not broke, he’s not on tilt, and there is no struggle. He’s just a dude that really likes to play poker. Secondly, the dynamic between Eric and his two sisters is quirky and odd, but not in a cute way. There are multiple scenes where they talk to each other through weird impressions and made-up characters that they give absolutely zero context for. If you thought Michael Cera could be annoying before, wait until you see him crash his sister’s party doing a cringe Tony Soprano impression. I admit my preconceived bias likely is a factor here, but with even the lowest of expectations, this was a stinker. Synopsis : The plan to make a trip back home as short as possible begins to unravel when Eric (Michael Cera) has to balance his addiction to poker with the challenging relationships with his two sisters Rachel (Hannah Gross) and Maggie (Sophia Lillis). All three are not the kids they used to be. Or are they? Starring : Michael Cera, Hannah Gross, Sophia Lillis, Wavyy Jonez, and Anoop Desai Director : Dustin Guy Defa HELLO DANKNESS While not a “movie” in the most typical sense of the word, Hello Dankness is the Berlinale offering that I will spend the next few years telling everyone about. It’s an amazingly brilliant piece of art that perfectly encapsulates what it was like to live in the U.S. during President Trump’s time in office (depending on your political affiliation, I suppose). By repurposing, deep-faking, and manipulating movie clips from things like The ‘Burbs , Wayne’s World , American Beauty , and multiple zombie movies, the narrative’s stunning accuracy is only outdone by how clever it all is. Plus, as a movie fan, I was in constant “DiCaprio pointing at the screen” mode with each new doctored clip. In one surreal moment – keep in mind that I’m in Berlin – a 1940s-era, pro-Nazi song starts playing over a section that is representing the most extreme of Trump’s supporters. It drove numerous people to walk out. It was a wild scene, just like the movie, and it solidified that the directing duo Soda Jerk is a team whose work I will constantly seek out. Synopsis : Assembling hundreds of film clips and media images, artist duo Soda Jerk creates a startling narrative about the changes undergone by American society since President Trump, while relishing in reflecting on contemporary cultural values. Starring : -- Director : Soda Jerk MANODROME Similar to Michael Cera, Jesse Eisenberg also has his own particular brand: the internally angry and insecure white man. In Manodrome , with seemingly complete disregard for being further typecast, Eisenberg perfectly captures the aura of a rage-filled incel and toxic masculinity. Between the way he carries himself in the gym to the stone-washed "Bro" jeans, it’s all on point. Opposite him is Adrien Brody, who despite being an Oscar winner, has quietly made a career of popping up in supporting roles to inject a level of menace and gravitas. Granted, the story isn’t quite as strong as their performances, going pretty much where you’d expect it to go, but that doesn’t mean it’s poorly told or weak. It’s just not as incisive as it could have been despite still being an interesting examination of a broken man who feels he is a casualty in the battle against the patriarchy. Synopsis : Ralphie (Jesse Eisenberg) is about to become a father, but his job and his personal situation fail to make him happy. When he is inducted into a libertarian masculinity cult, this awakens repressed desires and he loses his grip on reality. Starring : Jesse Eisenberg, Adrien Brody, Odessa Young, Sallieu Sesay, and Philip Ettinger Director : John Trengove INFINITY POOL Having already premiered in the U.S., Infinity Pool finally had its European Premiere at Berlinale, and I gotta say… I wasn’t a fan. It kicks off with a very intriguing premise, and I can’t fault the acting for the most part, but it slowly, and admittedly confidently, goes off the rails as the story moves along. It seems director Brandon Cronenberg was more interested in putting together a series of jaw-droppingly provocative set pieces than weaving together a coherent narrative. After not caring for Cronenberg’s last directorial effort, Possessor , it might be that his films just aren’t my thing. With that in mind, there are surely those who like to vibe out to pure shock-value horror imagery and trippy sex scenes, and for those people, Infinity Pool is a must see. Synopsis : James (Alexander Skarsgård) and Em (Cleopatra Coleman) are enjoying the perfect vacation, but once a tragic accident occurs, there is no way back for the couple. Violence, boundless hedonism, and the horror of an unimaginable choice: be executed or, if you can afford it, watch yourself die! Starring : Alexander Skarsgård, Mia Goth, Cleopatra Coleman, Jalil Lespert, and Thomas Kretschmann Director : Brandon Cronenberg Photo Credits: Berlin International Film Festival

MOON KNIGHT Starring: Oscar Isaac, Ethan Hawke, May Calamawy, and F. Murray Abraham Creator: Jeremy Slater AMARÚ Moon Knight is a perplexing, bonkers ball of greatness with highs in the upper echelon of Disney+ content. Oscar Isaac’s performance is as award-worthy as Lupita Nyong'o's horrifyingly snubbed Us performance. The first episode is my favorite MCU series premiere, and the world-building, introspection, and mind/genre-blending storytelling of the season's latter half is engrossing. But man, the lows could make Lil Jon hop on some theme music (I hope you understood that reference). The action is mostly lifeless, and too many episodes meander through uninspired exposition. Thank goodness Isaac’s unending acting chops delivers us through this rollercoaster to a solid finish. JACOB Were it not for Oscar Isaac’s note-perfect performance (as well as a compelling turn from Ethan Hawke), Moon Knight may have been the MCU’s most underwhelming series. That’s not to say it isn’t interesting – the show is full of ambition and some pretty out there material – but it’s not terribly sound on a structural level. Some episodes are downright fantastic, especially in their editing, while others are pure exposition dumps. Unfortunately, both contain a severe lack of clarity regarding the action sequences. A second season could have helped rectify many of these issues; regrettably, there is no plan for one. QUENTIN As far as storytelling goes, Moon Knight ’s biggest strength is also its greatest weakness. Namely, that it seemingly has no connection to the broader MCU. On one hand, it’s fresh and exciting because it’s not beholden to what came before it. On the other hand, it assumes viewers know more than they do because there aren’t twentysomething movies of backstory. As a result, it’s easy to feel lost, especially early on. Still, Oscar Isaac gives one of the best MCU performances to date (Ethan Hawke is no slouch either), which makes this Fight Club meets Stargate , MCU outlier a bold swing that mostly connects. ADRIANO Initially, I wasn’t invested at all in Moon Knight . I thought some of the action was cool, but it sort of felt like it was stalling for time. By the fourth episode, however, it got super weird and I was eating up every moment. This show would have completely fallen apart if Oscar Isaac wasn’t good in the lead role, but, thankfully, he absolutely delivers by nailing the dual performance. Moon Knight is both a mind-boggling and visually interesting adventure series, but its greatest strength is its ability to stray away from the Marvel formula.

RUSSIAN DOLL: SEASON TWO Starring: Natasha Lyonne, Greta Lee, Elizabeth Ashley, Annie Murphy, Charlie Barnett, and Chloë Sevigny Creators: Natasha Lyonne, Leslye Headland, and Amy Poehler QUENTIN Season One of Russian Doll , which dropped over three years ago, was a brilliantly inventive series that ended in such a way that it did not necessitate a second season, yet here we are with a disappointing sophomore outing that has virtually no connection to what came before. Gone is the time loop mystery in favor of a standard time travel plot, while Alan (Charlie Barnett) is a complete afterthought. Plus, Natasha Lyonne now plays Nadia with such an over-the-top NYC moxie and aloofness that it becomes irritating, spouting snarky quips reminiscent of 2007’s Juno . They should have left well enough alone with Season One.

THE NARROW ROAD TO THE DEEP NORTH Starring: Jacob Elordi, Odessa Young, Ciarán Hinds, Olivia DeJonge, Heather Mitchell, Thomas Weatherall, Shô Kasamatsu, Taki Abe, Charles Napoleon An, Akira Fujii, Simon Baker, and Masa Yamaguchi Creators: Justin Kurzel and Shaun Grant QUENTIN The Narrow Road to the Deep North isn’t without merit since it features good performances, a harrowing look at life as a prisoner of war, and a cinematic (if visually dark) presentation. That said, it’s not particularly enjoyable or entertaining since it’s so damn heavy, playing like a five-hour version of a pretentious Oscar-bait movie at Cannes (in fact, there are similarities to Oh, Canada, an actual pretentious Oscar-bait movie from Cannes). The pacing and story structure — it bounces between pre-war, during the war, and decades post-war — don’t help because narrative momentum is hard to come by. Snobbish critic types will probably adore it, though.

BILLIONS: SEASON SIX Starring: Corey Stoll, Paul Giamatti, Maggie Siff, Daniel Breaker, David Costabile, Asia Kate Dillon, Condola Rashad, Piper Perabo, Sakina Jaffrey, and Toney Goins Creator: Brian Koppelman, David Levien, and Andrew Ross Sorkin NICK With Damian Lewis departing at the end of Season Five, there was a question of where Billions would go next. The majority of this season is spent laying the groundwork to answer that, as well as fleshing out Mike Prince (Corey Stoll), the new main character. Sadly, it's far from perfect. Maggie Siff, Dan Soder, and Kelly AuCoin are all underused, while Chuck's (Paul Giamatti) motivations are questionable to say the least. That said, it survives without Lewis. By season's end, you realize this year has been all about setting the table for what’s to come, and what’s coming is certainly interesting. QUENTIN In a post-Axe (Damian Lewis) world, Billions is still a good show, but it’s not the same show. The problem is that the lead character dynamics have shifted. Mike Prince (Corey Stoll, who is great in the role) isn’t as unscrupulous as Axe, which gives Chuck (Paul Giamatti) little reason to take him down. This leaves us with a petty Chuck waging unjustified wars with Prince because, to Chuck, simply being a billionaire is inherently bad. While I understand the topicality of that sentiment, it means the Prince-Chuck battles lack the teeth and over-the-topness as the Axe-Chuck battles, which makes this season feel slightly less…Billions -y?

DISCLAIMER Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Sacha Baron Cohen, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Leila George, Louis Partridge, and Lesley Manville Creator: Alfonso Cuarón QUENTIN Despite top-notch direction from Alfonso Cuarón, typically great performances from Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline (maybe less typically for Kline), and the bones of an intriguing mystery, Disclaimer* falters in its characterizations. The characters are mostly underdeveloped and empty pawns used to get from one sometimes confusing plot point to the next, so even as you’re eager to see the story through to the end, you’re never truly invested in any of the players. My experience probably was undermined by binge-watching too, as revelations come so quickly that they hardly resonate. Granted, there is still a lot to like here, but the total package underwhelms.

THE LINCOLN LAWYER: SEASON ONE Starring: Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Neve Campbell, Christopher Gorham, Becki Newton, Angus Sampson, Jazz Raycole, Jamie McShane, and Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine Creators: Ted Humphrey and David E. Kelley NICK Before going into The Lincoln Lawyer , don't make the mistake of expecting the 2011 film. This is a different Mickey Haller. That’s not to say this is bad, just different. It has the feel of a USA Network series and the always reliable writing of David E. Kelley but it’s just missing something. Manuel Garcia-Rulfo is fine as Haller - albeit a little soft at points – but the rest of the cast (save for the underrated Christopher Gorham) ranges from adequate to miscast. In truth, this would have worked better as a limited series. The first season was fine but I’m not yearning for more.

HISTORY OF SWEAR WORDS Starring: Nicolas Cage, Nick Offerman, Jim Jefferies, Sarah Silverman, Nikki Glaser, DeRay Davis, Open Mike Eagle, London Hughes, Isaiah Whitlock Jr., Zainab Johnson, and Patti Harrison Be it my immature sense of humor or my unashamed love for Nic Cage, I really enjoyed this show. It's informative, but also a lot of fun. At only 20 minutes a pop, it never gets caught up in trying to be too educational. In structure, it's similar to VH1's Best Week Ever , featuring famous comedians and random film clips to keep you engaged. Cage is all in too, balancing a winking self-awareness of his gonzo, "let's get weird" reputation with a pseudo-seriousness that says "Pay attention. I'm Nicolas Fucking Cage." It all works, even if it keeps things light.