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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.

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Editorials on a wide array of subjects that take a deeper dive into the films & series we love. FEATURES READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ

EVIL DOES NOT EXIST Starring: Hitoshi Omika, Ryo Nishikawa, Ryuji Kosaka, and Ayaka Shibutani Director: Ryûsuke Hamaguchi PAIGE Evil Does Not Exist is a slow-paced, peaceful story about humans and their relationship with nature, as well as a commentary on the importance of preserving our natural resources. With a fantastic score and beautiful scenes throughout, I found myself more and more interested until I reached the third act. While I thought that the story would play out one way, the third act takes a somewhat out-of-the-blue turn that feels a bit abrupt and out of place. I didn't see it coming, that’s for sure, and maybe the metaphoric ending just needed more lead up to make sense. ADRIANO Not many directors can make an elongated wood-chopping sequence captivating, but that's what Ryûsuke Hamaguchi pulls off in Evil Does Not Exist as he takes on the environmental crisis with care and insight. The landscapes of the film are stunningly well shot, and the characters on both sides are handled with depth in a way that doesn't villainize anyone. Unfortunately, the final ten minutes take a turn for the worst, feeling like a completely different film that ditches the subtly for thrills. All in all, a once brilliant film that falls flat in the end. This film was reviewed by Adriano and Paige as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival and the 2023 New York Film Festival, respectively.

WOMAN OF THE HOUR Starring: Anna Kendrick, Daniel Zovatto, Tony Hale, Nicolette Robinson, and Autumn Best Director: Anna Kendrick NICK There’s a lot that works great about Woman of the Hour . Much like Patricia Arquette’s directorial debut, Gonzo Girl , Anna Kendrick shows great sensibilities behind the camera as she covers renown murderer Rodney Alcala’s appearance on The Dating Game , but with the focus placed on his victims. The only hiccup is the performance of Daniel Zovatto as Alcala. Not only is he lacking the necessary charm, but he fails to feel truly menacing in the tense moments. Don’t get me wrong, this is still a very solid feature, but I would have liked to see where someone else would have taken things with the role. ADRIANO Colour me surprised because Woman of the Hour is quite good. Some moments certainly feel like they were only there to pad the runtime since they didn't add anything we didn't already know or because they felt unearned, but Anna Kendrick's direction gives way to not only a freakishly intense final twenty minutes, but also a thrilling commentary on how men are able to manipulate women. Kendrick is as delightful as she always is, and Daniel Zovatto is as charming as he is creepy, and though not without its flaws, Woman of the Hour is a hell of a debut. KATIE Woman of the Hour is an impressive directorial debut from Anna Kendrick, who is also very compelling in the lead role as amateur actress Cheryl Bradshaw. Her direction builds chilling suspense, utilising a non-linear narrative to drip-feed information about the heinous crimes of Rodney Alcala, played by a deeply unsettling Daniel Zovatto. She achieves this without being exploitative, ensuring the victims are humanised characters, a disappointingly common issue in films about serial killers. Kendrick also cleverly highlights the all-too-familiar experience of women passively smiling and laughing off potentially unsafe situations, giving the film a timely, relevant feel despite its 1970s setting. PAIGE Woman of the Hour is a chilling film that attempts to explore misogyny, but just misses the mark for me due to it being too surface-level of a story. While Daniel Zovatto delivers a quite unsettling performance as Rodney Alcala, the movie’s nonlinear and fragmented structure holds it back from truly being suspenseful. Don’t get me wrong, this is a solid directorial debut from Anna Kendrick, and I’m eager to see what she does next behind the camera. However, with a tighter script, this could've been a more prominent thriller. AMARÚ I wrote HERE that I would love to see Anna Kendrick play a Quentin Tarantino villain one day, and her directorial debut, Woman of the Hour , proves just how dark and twisted she can get. Her excellent use of score, lighting, and blocking escalates the tension for intertwining time jumps that, while doing a great job of setting up an otherwise tight script, left a little bit to be desired on the story front. However, once the film settles into a single timeline, Kendrick’s charmingly awkward performance alongside Daniel Zovatto’s spine-tingling creepiness carry the film to an interesting finish. PRESTON The fact that the story behind Woman of the Hour is true carries the film a long way. Anna Kendrick (Sheryl Bradshaw) does all the right things in her directorial debut, but the story still comes across as a bit anemic. It’s unlayered approach causes some of the nuanced character portrayals and the old-timey, misogynistic messaging to fall flat. Daniel Zovatto (Rodney Alcala) does a fantastic job of giving serious, creeper vibes throughout the film, and the crazy outcome does manage to escalate the pulse. A solid first outing for actor, and now director, Anna Kendrick. QUENTIN In her directorial debut, Woman of the Hour , Anna Kendrick uses the true story of Sheryl Bradshaw’s (Kendrick) and Rodney Alcala’s (Daniel Zovatto) shared appearance on The Dating Game to frame an examination of the misogyny and manipulation, both violent and subtle, that women have been forced to endure for decades, aptly exploring that topic from multiple angles: the caring boyfriend, the friendly neighbor, the charming suitor, the well-loved celebrity, the trusted authorities, and more. It’s a troubling look at the constantly gaslit existence women must fight against, told with a directorial flair that suggests Kendrick has a bright future ahead of her behind the camera. This film was reviewed by Nick and Adriano as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.

ENCANTO Starring: Stephanie Beatriz, Diane Guerrero, Wilmer Valderrama, Angie Cepeda, Rhenzy Feliz, Carolina Gaitan, Jessica Darrow, Adassa, María Cecilia Botero, Mauro Castillo, and John Leguizamo Directors: Jared Bush and Byron Howard JACOB Though not flawless, Encanto is a movie full of joy that families are sure to fall in love with. It bursts with life and color in every frame, and while the songs may not be Disney’s strongest lyrically, they’re all deeply infused with a Colombian energy worthy of the wonderful instrumentation throughout. The story itself takes a few narrative shortcuts at the film’s expense (namely in the third act) and it all wraps up a bit too neatly, but the ultra-detailed animation and fun characters make up for most of that. It would seem the Disney formula still makes magic. ADRIANO Simply speaking, I was delighted by every moment of Encanto . As per the case with most of Disney’s animated efforts, it’s gorgeously animated, it’s really funny, and it hits you directly in the feels. Lin-Manuel Miranda's original songs are both catchy and powerful, and they pair well with the film’s themes of family and self-worth, as well as the culture it’s representing. My only real gripe is that I had to see it in 3D, which I truly hate. Other than that, this movie is undeniably charming. NICK The recent focus on animated features delving into different cultural backgrounds has been refreshing, but doing so doesn’t guarantee a great film, which is evident here. Similar to Pixar's Onward , Encanto is just sort of there. It’s notes of Happy Feet with a magical twist, and that works fine. Unfortunately, in a year of musicals, most of the songs here are forgettable the moment they end. That is really what plagues this film overall… it just isn’t as memorable as its predecessors. The animation is gorgeous as expected, but otherwise this was a bit of a letdown.

EMPIRE OF LIGHT Starring: Olivia Colman, Micheal Ward, Colin Firth, Toby Jones, and Tom Brooke Director: Sam Mendes NICK There is something so pure and comforting about an Olivia Colman performance because she injects such added humanity into all of her films. Sam Mendes’ Empire of Light is a film that relies too heavily on that humanity without fleshing out a proper story. The setup is lovely, but at the midway point, the film almost becomes something completely different. Even the cinematography by Roger Deakins (who creates the beautiful opening credits) feels like it shifts. The story eventually branches out beyond its means, rushing to some unnecessary conclusions. Sometimes, less is more. ADRIANO Empire Of Light is the definition of lipstick on a pig. From a technical standpoint, it is flawless. Roger Deakins’ cinematography is stunning, while Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ score is magical. Micheal Ward is great too, but Olivia Colman is fantastic, even by her standards. That said, the script fails this film. It's not the worst thing ever written, but it juggles too many barely related concepts, including an underdeveloped love story, a poorly written study of mental health, and half-assed racial politics. Admittedly, the “power of cinema” stuff worked on me, but this movie is just weak Oscar bait. QUENTIN For a cinephile, a film billed as “a love letter to the magic of cinema” seems like a no-brainer. However, despite beautiful cinematography and the art deco design, Empire of Light is such a mundane movie for boomers that I expected to be handed an AARP brochure when it ended. Not only is it a bore, but it’s a scattershot approach to various unrelated things that writer-director Sam Mendes seemingly cares about. Is it about cinema, racism, or mental illness? It’s about all of them and none of them, with Mendes failing to give us a reason to care as much as he does. JACOB While Empire of Light is often beautiful to look at and boasts a beautifully composed score (when it’s heard, anyway), the overall experience is just a bit dry. That’s not to say it’s entirely boring or devoid of meaning, but it doesn’t seem to know what it wants to be about, subtextually. Love, desire, mental health, white supremacy – these are all concepts the movie features but doesn’t use in effective ways to enhance the story. Meandering in some films can be a good thing, if it’s the point; unfortunately, this film doesn’t seem to have much of a point at all. DARRYL Empire of Light is a finely crafted film that, while touching on a number of subjects, fails to fully explore any of them. Even with outstanding performances from Olivia Colman and Micheal Ward, the story’s refusal to commit to any of its ideas overshadows the entire project. Somewhat lesser than the sum of its parts, the final product does not completely live up to its potential. Still, there is plenty to love, including top notch cinematography by Roger Deakins and impressive technical work from director Sam Mendes and his crew, making this a strong awards season contender. This film was reviewed by Nick, Adriano, and Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival.

THE MENU Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicholas Hoult, John Leguizamo, Judith Light, Paul Adelstein, Aimee Carrero, Janet McTeer, Rob Yang, Reed Birney, Arturo Castro, Mark St. Cyr, and Hong Chau Director: Mark Mylod NICK Forgive the food pun, but The Menu is a delicious piece of cinema. The well-crafted story moves at a brisk pace, combining humour, tension, and suspense to create a truly unique film. Ralph Fiennes will deservedly be the most recognized performance, but this is a pure ensemble piece. Everyone has a specific part to play, and each is necessary to complete the puzzle of the film. It's truly a case of the story outdoing any one performance, thanks to the excellent script by Seth Reiss and Will Tracy. A thoroughly enjoyable ride that, most importantly, sticks the landing. QUENTIN Who wants some food wordplay!? The Menu is a dark and decadent experience made up of the finest ingredients and several surprises. The amuse-bouche sets up the entrée of the story perfectly, and the expertly prepared main course of Ralph Fiennes and Anya Taylor-Joy are well garnished by a number of complementary side dishes. My lone complaint is that the two-part dessert didn’t work for me entirely, with one part being to die for while the other felt a little half-baked. Still though, this is a meal that left me satisfied, wowed, and eager for more from Chef…err, director…Mark Mylod. It’s worthy of the hype. ADRIANO The Menu is one of those movies that feels like it was cooked up specifically for me, as director Mark Mylod creates such a weirdly tense atmosphere that also has room for laughs somehow. You can tell instantly that something is off, and the slow build-up to the various reveals is super entertaining, not to mention that the entire cast, led wonderfully by Ralph Fiennes and Anya Taylor-Joy, is fantastic. This is a very clever satire on class and fine dining culture that is a true feast to behold. AMARÚ Going into The Menu knowing little-to-nothing about the plot enhanced the mystery of this meticulous and well-acted cat-and-mouse thriller. Every scene, word, and musical note felt as deliberate as the painstakingly curated menu that Ralph Fiennes’ Chef Julian Slowik put together for his exclusive guests. But like many fine dining restaurants that overcharge for two bites of “food,” you end up with a dazzling experience and an empty stomach. The film seemingly pulled its punches because there was certainly more fight to be had amongst these characters. Although surprising, intriguing, and darkly humorous, The Menu left me wanting more conflict within its deftly assembled story. PAIGE Yes, chef, I can attest that The Menu is deliciously good! This dark satire uses the cuisines it’s serving as a metaphor for high class privilege, which provides plenty of spice for its audience. The flavorful script is excellently directed by Mark Mylod, who elicits outstanding performances from Ralph Fiennes and Anya Taylor-Joy. Some may walk away not completely satisfied from what is served, but I enjoyed every last bite. Plus, it keeps you on your toes because you never know what is possibly coming next. JACOB There are a lot of things to like about The Menu : its stellar performances, its crackling script, and its horrifically beautiful (and occasionally funny) depictions of food and recipe cards. However, it does give off the feeling that it thinks it’s smarter than it actually is. Once one clocks the metaphor/message being played out, the themes of the movie continue to hit like a blunt-edged sledgehammer, refusing to let the audience interpret them with additional layers. That said, it is a deliciously fun time to have at the movies, even if I don’t think it’s the firecracker everyone else seems to think it is. This film was reviewed by Nick, Quentin, and Adriano as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival.

HE WENT THAT WAY Starring: Jacob Elordi and Zachary Quinto Director: Jeffrey Darling PAIGE Based on a true story, He Went That Way is a chic thriller set in the 1960s that has an interesting premise and strong start that gradually loses steam as it goes on. In addition, the script is so subpar that the only thing really keeping this film somewhat together are its leads, Jacob Elordi, Zachary Quinto, and the fake monkey, Spanky, trying their best to deliver decent performances. With that said, the movie never quite turns into the dark thriller that it was intended to be. In the end, the movie falls flat in delivering its captivating true narrative and becomes a dull road trip. CALEB He Went That Way is a colossal waste of time. I know that Jacob Elordi and Zachary Quinto are talented actors, but they’re both genuinely embarrassing in this. Someone must’ve called in some favors because this script should be way below either of their pay grades. The dialogue is atrocious, the characters are annoying as hell, and the pace is painfully slow. The film is decently shot, but that’s about the only praise I can give it. I guess the silly fake monkey was worth a laugh too, but I’m not sure I’d call that a positive.

ATLAS Starring: Jennifer Lopez, Simu Liu, Sterling K. Brown, Mark Strong, and Abraham Popoola Director: Brad Peyton CALEB Atlas is as generic as sci-fi movies come, and its bland, underdeveloped world is brought to life with some of the ugliest CGI I’ve ever witnessed. The action sequences look like weightless video game cutscenes, and the green screen utilisation is comedically terrible. For what it’s worth, Jennifer Lopez does a decent job, even if far too much of the movie revolves around her screaming from the inside of a mech’s cockpit. I know Atlas is a film about embracing A.I., but something tells me the screenwriters may have embraced it a little too much. QUENTIN Even with the lowest of expectations, Atlas is a complete failure. You’re essentially watching Jennifer Lopez Facetime with an A.I. system amongst a collection of terribly rendered CGI visuals. And when I say “terribly rendered” — man, are they bad. They are the kind of super glossy and plastic-y looking cutscenes you would find in the cheapest of early 2000s video games. That aside, the story (such as it is), is a hodge-podge of other, better sci-fi movies, including The Terminator , Aliens , and Pacific Rim . Hopefully, this puts the nail in the “apocalyptic A.I.” genre’s coffin for a while.

PAST LIVES Starring: Greta Lee, Teo Yoo and John Magaro Director: Celine Song ADRIANO Past Lives made my jaw drop. This is a story about how we approach fate and the way human beings seek connection to one another, and it’s told through a very unique love triangle, with Teo Yoo and Greta Lee giving compelling performances. But it’s writer/director Celine Song that’s the real star, as she knocks it completely out of the park. She directs every scene with a deft hand and writes every scene with poignancy, comedy, and in the end, bittersweet heartbreak. I don’t say this often, but this was a perfect film. JACOB Truth be told, it’s difficult to define in precise terms what I feel about Celine Song’s Past Lives in the immediacy of its conclusion, but one thing about my feeling is certain: it is profound and inescapable. The pitch-perfect screenplay from debut writer/director Song is a ballet of longing – for a life one once knew, for the life one could have – and a delicate reckoning with what is. Greta Lee owns every minute of screentime she has, inviting your attention without demanding it, while Teo Yoo and John Magaro shine in their supporting parts. This one is a real knockout. PAIGE A24 may have another Best Picture winner on their hands with writer/director Celine Song’s phenomenal debut, Past Lives , a deeply impactful film that knows how to pull at your heart strings. The screenplay will give you a lot to ponder over, but it's the soulful and layered performances that will stick with you, especially Greta Lee as Nora. Furthermore, the film is a very subtle but thoughtful piece about the influence of soulmates and the "what ifs?" of life, something we can all relate to. This film was reviewed by Adriano as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2023 Sundance Film Festival.