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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.

PERPETRATOR Starring: Alicia Silverstone, Melanie Liburd, Kiah McKirnan, Casimere Jollette, Christopher Lowell, Tim Hopper, Josh Bywater, Sasha Kuznetsov, Ilirida Memedovski, and Greta Stolte Director: Jennifer Reeder QUENTIN Despite the intriguing synopsis and its Midnight Madness horror vibe, this movie just did not do it for me. 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 when done well, but Perpetrator plays more like a visual art experiment than a coherent movie, overstuffed with too many ideas and big swings at extreme and campy rawness. All that said, Cronenberg die-hards might find something here worth their while. KATIE Perpetrator presents a plethora of compelling ideas on feminism, girlhood, and violence, and while it’s difficult to specify precisely what the film is trying to say, it effectively uses surreal imagery, gory visuals, and oozing blood to confront issues familiar to young women everywhere. My only issue is that it's too ambitious. I loved the unsettling, almost Lynchian vibe of the town setting, the dramatically gothic interiors of Hildie's (Alicia Silverstone) house, and the nightmarish logic at play in the school, but there are too many competing ideas; some of the more impactful ones become distracted or lost entirely. CALEB It feels wrong picking on Perpetrator . It has some really ambitious concepts, and a scrappy, can-do attitude that just makes you want to root for it. Unfortunately, amateur filmmaking can only be charming for so long before it starts to become unwatchable. The mediocre cinematography, abysmal effects, and corny editing make this feel more like a poorly realised student film than a worthwhile feature. Kiah McKirnan tries her best, but her performance isn’t strong enough to save the muddled script. While I applaud the passion put into Perpetrator , I can’t deny its severe lack of polish. This film was reviewed by Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2023 Berlinale International Film Festival.

UNFROSTED Starring: Jerry Seinfeld, Melissa McCarthy, Jim Gaffigan, Max Greenfield, Hugh Grant, and Amy Schumer Director: Jerry Seinfeld AMARÚ There’s a reason I never really watched Saturday Night Live . By the time I was old enough to be interested, the legends had already left and the new stars were stuck doing unfunny skits. That last bit is what immediately came to mind watching a huge number of well-known comedians come together to be as unfunny as they are in Unfrosted . Jerry Seinfeld’s “what’s the deal?” schtick is great for his stand up, but it doesn’t make a good movie. The cast must have been doing Seinfeld a favor because their uber-obvious, literal punchlines fail to reach even a serviceable semblance of satirical skill. ADRIANO I knew Unfrosted wasn't going to be good, but I’m a big Jerry Seinfeld fan. So, when I turned it on, I said "let's turn the brain off and have some laughs." Even with that mindset, this was a painful movie to sit through. Not only did I not laugh once, but the movie also quickly abandons its simple concept of "here's how Pop Tarts happened" for an abundance of unfunny bits and subplots that amount to nothing. I’m just confused as to why exactly this movie was made. I'm sad to say, Seinfeld is simply past his prime. QUENTIN The most remarkable thing about Unfrosted is just how unremarkable it is. With a stacked cast full of A-list comedians and celebrity cameos, not to mention a delightfully silly premise, how did this movie become so bland and boring? I’ll give Jerry Seinfeld credit as the director because he has created a colorfully goofy world featuring a tremendous 1960s pastiche, but as a writer? Oh man. So many “jokes” from so many comedy stars, and almost none of them land. One has to imagine that being on set was a riot, but none of that comes through on the screen. Overall, an unfunny disappointment. KATIE My feelings about Unfrosted align with my opinion on Pop Tarts: somehow both overwhelmingly sweet yet bland and devoid of substance. I was bombarded by innuendos, goofy gags, references, and cameos at a staggering rate, and some of the dialogue is so inconceivably stupid that I couldn’t help but laugh. Despite this, it is often dull, featuring, at best, half-hearted performances, but it's also so silly and dedicated to the pastel 1960s aesthetic that, I’m ashamed to admit, it’s kind of fun, but not quite good. Honestly, I’m left confused by the whole ordeal. PRESTON Unfrosted is deceivingly marketed as a nostalgic, satirical jaunt down semi-historical memory lane. However, it seems that Jerry Seinfeld’s legacy only works to lure a star-studded cast to serve as the enticing central-filling to a film that instead resembles the empty shell of the treat it attempts to exploit. Perhaps I go too far, but I felt a Good Will Hunting -esque waste of potential while I endured through its shallow comedic implementation. A few jokes land and it’s watchable, but I was so confused that I thought I might have been watching what would have otherwise been an impressive improv performance.

MEMOIR OF A SNAIL Starring: Sarah Snook, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Jacki Weaver, and Eric Bana Director: Adam Elliot ADRIANO While it doesn't reach the highs of his last film, Mary and Max , writer/director Adam Elliot hits another very special note with Memoir of a Snail . With its unique stop-motion animation and pitch-perfect, darkly comedic tone, this film hits you with tragedy after tragedy, but always in an organic and funny way. This ultimately leads to a powerful ending that left me a teary mess. Despite how dour the film can get, the movie is anything but hopeless, choosing to put one foot in front of the other in the face of tragedy. Memoir of a Snail is a profoundly beautiful experience. KATIE Memoir of a Snail is instantly one of my favourite animated films of the year, with its creative and distinctive stop-motion style, crude and often outrageous humour, and life-affirming message. Plus, despite all the sex and swearing, it’s the most wholesome, rewarding film of LFF. It’s also an intelligent film, exploring the darkest moments of the character’s lives whilst advocating for a forward-thinking approach to tragedy and celebrating progress in the face of adversity. The voice cast is also very endearing, especially Sarah Snook as the protagonist Grace and Jacki Weaver as Pinky. QUENTIN I have a tremendous amount of respect for stop-motion animation, and on a technical level, it will always impress me because of the painstaking meticulousness it requires. However, that doesn’t mean all stop-motion movies are good. Memoir of a Snail fails to adhere to the adage of “show, don’t tell,” with its story told almost entirely through narration instead of dialogue, resulting in a vibe more akin to listening to an audiobook than watching a film. In fact, you could ignore the visual aspects and not lose much, which makes for a heartbreakingly heavy and unengaging experience that seems a waste of terrific animator effort. AMARÚ Memoir of a Snail could’ve easily fallen into a trap of sluggishly reading out a life story, but there’s so many weird and quirky turns in the main character Grace’s (Sarah Snook) life, that I excitedly tuned into each progressively shocking and entertaining chapter. The film’s hilariously honest embrace of life’s peculiarities is expertly explored through a forceful resilience that’s both sweet and powerful. With each piling tragedy in Grace’s story, the film constantly follows its own advice of moving “onward, upward, and sidewards”, leaving your heart utterly fulfilled with its cheer-worthy ending. PRESTON The ending of Memoir of a Snail brings this film a long way. I appreciate the final message, but the journey to get there is fraught with misery and melancholy that showers over you like a water-boarding session. If I wasn’t encouraged by pre-viewing reviews, I might not have made it to the mostly satisfying conclusion. There are some moments of dark levity, but the overwhelming insistence on its trauma-forward narrative reinforces a barrier to any emotional connection. My most cynical self sees its impressive and taxing stop-motion format as nothing more than a means to the awards stage. NICK Those who dismiss animated features as "just children's films" often miss great content, and Memoir of a Snail is just the latest example of that. This tragic story is as grown-up as they come as it touches on some incredibly dark themes, including death, abandonment, and loneliness. There's a lot of pain here, and the gloomy aesthetics only enhance that feeling. Even the somewhat off-putting animation fits with the story being told. I can definitely see this film being a little too depressing for some (it can go a little overboard in that sense), but its ultimate message is pure and worth the somber journey.

IMMACULATE Starring: Sydney Sweeney, Álvaro Morte, Benedetta Porcaroli, Dora Romano, Giorgio Colangeli, and Simona Tabasco Director: Michael Mohan KATIE I absolutely loved Immaculate . It gave me far more than I signed up for in the best way possible, and as well as looking fantastic, the tone strikes a perfect balance between shlocky body horror, creepy atmosphere, bloody violence, and genuine scares. It also has some impactful and timely themes, exploring the idea of patriarchal forces attempting to control and claim ownership over women’s bodies, as well as the deluded justifications for it imposed by religious fanaticism. Sydney Sweeney’s performance as Sister Cecilia is phenomenal, and the jaw-dropping final sequence is already one of my favourite horror moments of this year. ADRIANO I enjoyed the insanity of Immaculate much more than I thought I would. I'm not saying it's great; it's not. The film mostly relies on cheap scare tactics and gore that lessen the impact during the more genuinely tense scenes, and the film's eerie atmosphere is weakened by the opening sequence. What's more, the film's stance on religion boils down to nothing interesting. However, I can't deny the film's enjoyment factor when it hits some truly insane peaks. Sydney Sweeney is great, and the final shot is genuinely terrific. As imperfect as it is, I'm really glad I watched Immaculate . NICK I recently saw The First Omen , and while I wasn’t a fan, that movie is light-years better than Immaculate . Aside from a fine yet unremarkable performance from Sydney Sweeney, there’s nothing I really enjoyed here. The film is visually dark and drab, the effects are sub-par, the supporting performances do nothing to stand out, and, overall, the movie just goes through the motions. As there are very similar story beats, I’m curious how people who have seen both this and The First Omen compare the two films because, for me, this actually led to me retroactively enjoying Omen more.

DEAD MAIL Starring: Sterling Macer Jr., John Fleck, Tomas Boykin, and Susan Priver Directors: Joe DeBoer and Kyle McConaghy NICK Dead Mail is exactly what you should be looking for from an indie horror. It’s got a grainy shooting style that gives a grimy feel on top of an engaging story to work with. The reason it works as well as it does, however, is the traumatized performance from John Fleck. Although Trent (Fleck) begins with sympathetic motivations, he soon turns sinister, and his descent into madness is the highlight of the film. Sure, you could shave a little off the runtime (there's a bit of a drag in the middle), but Dead Mail feels destined to do well on Shudder. KATIE Dead Mail is an odd little film. Initially, I struggled with the oppressive, almost dingy atmosphere, but as the narrative progressed, I appreciated the impressive lo-fi visuals and distinct 1980s aesthetic. Directors Joe DeBoer and Kyle McConaghy present a bizarre world drained of colour and vibrancy, inhabited by lonely characters; however, despite this bleakness, it's still very compelling, thanks to the understated yet impactful central performances of John Fleck and Sterling Macer Jr. Overall, Dead Mail is a quietly gripping experience for anyone willing to embrace its strangeness. ADRIANO Warts and all, there was a sicko smile on my face for the majority of Dead Mail 's runtime. Its 80s aesthetic could've easily resorted to a gimmick, but writer/directors Joe DeBoer and Kyle McConaghy play within the confines of this idea to create something truly maddening. I'll admit, I think the pacing sometimes clashes with the mayhem, but the performances and score are enough to bring me back into the bizarre nature of the film as it takes one unpredictable turn after another, culminating in a bonkers final act. Suffice to say, I had a lot of fun here. This film was reviewed by Nick as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.

SPINNING GOLD Starring: Jeremy Jordan, Michelle Monaghan, Peyton List, Lyndsy Fonseca, Caylee Cowan, James Wolk, Dan Fogler, Jason Isaacs, Jay Pharoah, and Chris Redd Director: Timothy Scott Bogart QUENTIN If not for the soundtrack, Spinning Gold would have absolutely nothing going for it. It’s terribly directed, dreadfully acted, poorly written, and feels cheaply made. There are awful costumes and even worse green screen scenes. For reference, the lead actor’s last three movies were Hallmark Originals, and the writer-director, who happens to be the son of the main character, hasn’t written or directed a movie since a 2005, straight-to-streaming rom-com that is so obscure it doesn’t have a Wikipedia page or a Rotten Tomatoes score. This is the level of talent involved, and it makes for a painful watch; extra half reel for the music, though. JACOB The first rule of filmmaking is “show, don’t tell,” but if someone’s first movie experience was the dreadful Spinning Gold , they’d learn the opposite lesson. Without a doubt, this is easily one of the worst music biopics I’ve ever had the displeasure of viewing. Even after the second half finally debuts two actually coherent scenes, it can’t stop being so far up its own ass about how important it all is…and it never. stops. telling . you that. Nearly every role is irreversibly miscast, the dialogue is cringe levels of high school stage theater, and not one performance (or wig job) succeeds.

RENFIELD Starring: Nicolas Cage, Nicholas Hoult, Awkwafina, Ben Schwartz, and Shohreh Aghdashloo Director: Chris McKay NICK Let's start with the good: Nicolas Cage is endlessly watchable as he takes a bite out of every scene as Dracula, while Nicholas Hoult continues to show off his impressive range. Plus, there are some gruesome kills that are sure to entertain. That's about it for the good. Renfield is filled with an array of plot holes, cliché side stories, a grating Awkwafina performance, and a generally goofy tone. Even though it's seemingly aware of how ridiculous it is and has some fun with it (unlike Cocaine Bear ), it’s just not enough to make up for its flaws. An average film at best. QUENTIN While the story may be a little lacking, especially the weak mob angle that is made even worse by revolving around Awkwafina, Renfield is still a lot of fun thanks to the hilariously violent fight scenes and, of course, Nic Cage, who is clearly relishing the opportunity to play Dracula. Even with my personal Cage bias acknowledged, he is flat-out terrific here, often eliciting laughs from nothing more than a facial expression. Don’t get me wrong, Nicholas Hoult is great too, but Cage is the reason to see Renfield , a Halloween-themed cousin to Violent Night that is sure to be an annual rewatch every October. ADRIANO If you can entertain the hell out of me, even the dumbest movies can get a pass. I can’t say that’s the case with Renfield . I love the undying commitment from Nicolas Cage as a maddening, narcissistic Dracula, but he wasn’t enough for me. If it had stayed focused on the codependent relationship plot, it could have been interesting; however, the detour into a crime plot didn’t interest me enough, and the jokes had way too many misses for me to care. Not even Nicolas Cage could give this film enough life for a passing grade. JACOB There is some fun to be had in Renfield , namely in its two lead performances and one pretty kick-ass apartment terrace scene, but that fun is hampered by a fairly so-so script with awkward tonal shifts and distorted scene geography in almost every other action sequence. Nicholas Hoult is good but underserved, whereas Nicolas Cage may be one of the best on-screen Draculas ever despite being thoroughly underused. And with the addition of two subplots that are never as entertaining or interesting as they clearly want to be, the film can never quite find its footing enough to stand.

SLY Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Frank Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Henry Winkler, John Herzfeld, Wesley Morris, and Quentin Tarantino Director: Thom Zimny NICK Much like Netflix’s Arnold earlier this year, Sly plays it too safe. Its strength is in discussing everything that went into the Rocky franchise from the mouth of Sylvester Stallone himself, and it’s evident how much thought and care has been put into the iconic character. Beyond that, it’s a little unremarkable. It zooms past his non-franchise film career, and it never dives into his hardships with any depth. I understand that Stallone tries to maintain a level of optimism and was likely very hands-on with this project, but I don’t feel like I know the man any more than I did going in. ADRIANO As a lifelong fan of Sylvester Stallone, it saddens me to say that Sly is predictably self-pandering. I wanted a deeper look at his life, not just his career, but the movie takes most of its runtime to talk about how Stallone created his famous franchises (a lot of the movie is just about Rocky ). As a fan, that's fun, but it's not worth my time when I'm after a little bit more. Not that his personal life isn't touched on at all, but not nearly enough to be insightful. Is it an easy watch? Absolutely. Will I watch it again, though? Probably not. QUENTIN Though perhaps a bit too long and too focused on Rocky , Sly remains an interesting and honest portrait of Sylvester Stallone. It’s less self-aggrandizing than Netflix’s Arnold , and I can genuinely say that I came away with more insight into the man. That said, I also was left just a little wanting. Obviously, with a 77-year-old subject that has had such a lengthy career, it’d be near impossible to cover everything, but there are aspects of his life that I wish it had touched on more, including certain film failures and his rivalry with Arnold Schwarzenegger. Still, a great watch for fans of the icon. PRESTON Sly is a kind of one-on-one, but lightly assisted, documentary from and about the man himself, Sylvester Stallone. It can be easy for someone to look upon the past with rose-colored glasses and attribute too much to the meaning behind past accomplishments. In this case, I believe Stallone to be insightful and his attributions to be admirably objective, but you can tell that he is protective of his family, which leads us down a safer and narrower path that hinders the film’s potential. Nevertheless, Rocky fans and general Stallone enthusiasts alike shouldn’t hesitate to queue this one up. This film was reviewed by Nick and Adriano as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.

NICKEL BOYS Starring: Ethan Herisse, Brandon Wilson, Hamish Linklater, Fred Hechinger, Daveed Diggs, and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor Director: RaMell Ross ADRIANO A soaring ambition from debut director RaMell Ross, Nickel Boys is a staggering and profound accomplishment. I surprisingly adjusted quickly to its first-person perspective, allowing the film to use its experimental narrative to avoid any of the trappings we may be used to from films that tackle historical atrocities. If anything, Nickel Boys feels like an antithesis to black trauma porn, instead coming across as a beautiful film about friendship and survival through choosing love over despair. I can see some struggling with the structure, but if you can get sucked into this one-of-a-kind experience, it'll be worthwhile. AMARÚ Nickel Boys is a creative feast to witness due to the visual choices director RaMell Ross uses to relay the harrowing situation of titular characters, Elwood (Ethan Herisse) and Turner (Brandon Wilson). The alternating first-person perspective is a powerful tool used to get through a fairly tough watch - tough in both its content and pacing. It’s a lot watching another movie about the atrocities of this country’s past coupled with watching a personal day-to-day-in-the-life narrative; however, the brilliant performances and inspired direction make this one-time watch a must-see experience. QUENTIN Writer-director RaMell Ross deserves immense credit for having the balls to attempt something as incredibly ambitious as Nickel Boys because it truly is refreshing to see an innovative approach to filmmaking. That said, his choice to root this adaptation in a first-person perspective (amongst other flourishes) didn’t work for me. Like, at all . It’s disorienting and often confusing, keeping me entirely at arm’s length from what should have been an emotionally moving story. It’s an overlong and arduous film that would play better during an exhibit at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture than at multiplexes. “A for effort,” as they say…

GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE Starring: Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Dan Stevens, Kaylee Hottle, Alex Ferns, and Fala Chen Director: Adam Wingard CALEB I mean this as both a compliment and a critique, but Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is the cinematic equivalent of a little kid smashing action figures together. It’s two hours of fan-service with bright colors and big monsters performing wrestling moves on each-other. If that sounds appealing, then you’re probably a kaiju shill like me…and if you are a kaiju shill like me, then you’ll probably love this. As far as the cinematography, writing, and action goes, this is a noticeable downgrade from Godzilla vs. Kong , but it’s still an entertaining addition to the MonsterVerse. AMARÚ While Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is very silly, it’s a fun time. Director Adam Wingard knows the MonsterVerse’s strengths, and he delivers action-packed Kaiju battles featuring the most interesting Titan of them all, Kong (who is 100% an old black man). The humans are there, with Bryan Tyree Henry being ridiculous in not the best ways, Dan Stevens being ridiculous in all the best ways, and Rebecca Hall and Kaylee Hottle’s relationship providing a small bit of emotion. But again, Kong is the reason to watch these films, and if he comes back to ride again with Godzilla, I’ll be back too. ADRIANO I'm just so unbelievably tired of movies like Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire . Films that suck the life out of what made the IP so beloved and iconic in exchange for an MCU-style slopfest and exposition machine. Now, you might be saying, "it's not that serious, I just want to see Godzilla and King Kong team up and fight." You don't get that for a full 90 minutes, and whatever kaiju stuff happens is too cartoonish and toothless to be entertaining. I want this style of blockbuster to go away so badly. QUENTIN Finally, they get it! Godzilla x Kong is exactly what I’ve been asking for with the MonsterVerse entries, in that it’s mostly a movie about giant monster fights with a small human story instead of the other way around. That said, is it good? Absolutely fucking not. It’s dumb as hell, but it’s fun as hell too. It doesn’t matter that none of it makes a lick of sense becau…wait, is Godzilla sleeping like a cat in the Roman Colosseum? Sold. As big turn-your-brain-off franchises go, this one has surpassed and supplanted the Fast franchise as the best one going. Give me more.