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Movie Trailer Reviews

Summary: Love watching Movies and TV Shows? We do too. Check out all of our Movie Reviews and reviews for TV shows like e Movie Trailer Reviews, your source for reviews on the latest movies coming out in theaters. Check us out at www.MTRNetwork.Net

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 Movie Review: The 355 | File Type: audio/x-m4a | Duration: 24:54

To call The 355 disappointing would imply that there were any expectations for it to begin with. Sure, it has all the pieces to be a good film. The cast is really solid. It's a spy film and who doesn't like that? So where does it go wrong? With Simon Kinberg. While this is only Kinberg's second go as a Director (doesn't give much comfort considering his first was X-Men: Dark Phoenix), he has a long (and disappointing) history as a writer. To be honest, he's just not good at this. The fact that The 355 was given to him to direct shows everything that is wrong with Hollywood. Had this film been directed by a better director, a lot of the problems with it could have been avoided. Even the action scenes feel muted. The problem is where the camera is told to focus. So while the scenes are intense, they just don't hit like they should. This movie should have been directed by a woman. Could a man have directed this and it still been good? Sure. But putting it in the hands of a man like Kinberg that routinely has written/directed films that don't do female characters justice is just setting it up for failure. This film has Jessica Chastain, Lupita Nyongo'o, Diane Kruger, Penélope Cruz and Bingbing Fan in it. Each of them has a character that could have had a whole movie about them. Instead all 5 are put in the same film and it pretty much suffocates all their performances. Fan and Cruz are criminally underused. This is another one of those films that has a ton of potential that doesn't even come close to be realized. At this point it feels on purpose. Do just enough to make it seem like you're supporting a female-centered film. But give it to a shitty director and writer, dump it in January and then make it a theater-only release. The 355 isn't a bad film. It has some entertaining moments. Yet it should have been more and because of the lackluster attempt at doing it right, it's likely to become the first (of probably many) forgotten films of 2022.   Like what you hear? Subscribe so you don't miss an episode! Follow us on Twitter: @Phenomblak @InsanityReport @TheMTRNetwork   Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network   Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!  

 Movie Review: Nightmare Alley | File Type: audio/x-m4a | Duration: 30:09

Nightmare Alley is not what you might expect from your typical Guillermo del Toro film.  If you told me that a Guillermo del Toro film used a carnival for a setting but didn't lean heavily into the abnormal or feature a unique creature design, I'd tell you that you were lying. I'd also question if the film was even worth watching. Nightmare Alley might not feel like the typical Guillermo del Toro film. Despite the title, this isn't a horror or paranormal film. Rather, it's a crime noir that tells the story of a con man who starts believing in his con to the point that everything starts to spiral out of control.  While Bradley Cooper is the lead here as Stanton Carlisle, this film is all about the women. Toni Collette, Rooney Mara and Cate Blanchett all put major performances into this film. Blanchett in particular puts in a brilliant performance. Bradley Cooper isn't a slouch in the acting department but he gets outacted in just about every scene with Blanchett. The same can be said for his scenes with William Dafoe but that's to be expected because well...it William Dafoe being creepy and no one out acts creepy Dafoe. Clocking in at 2 1/2 hours, Nightmare Alley does suffer from some pacing issues. But those issues can be forgiven for the overall payoff in the story as well as the performances put in. While it's not what one might expect from Guillermo del Toro, it's a great reminder of the range he has as a director and is definitely worth checking out. Like what you hear? Subscribe so you don't miss an episode! Follow us on Twitter: @Phenomblak @InsanityReport @TheMTRNetwork   Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network   Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!  

 Spider-Man No Way Home | File Type: audio/x-m4a | Duration: 42:27

Come on. You already know you're going to see this film. There's no point in wasting time writing a long ass review for something that you are going to see. We could say this movie was trash (it's not) and you would still go to see it. It's going to be the biggest movie to come out since COVID and for good reason. Sony's best decision ever was letting Marvel Studios hold the reins and take control. The result is not only the best live-action Spider-Man trilogy but the best trilogy in the MCU. If for some reason you're looking to reviews to determine if you want to see this film then the answer is this film isn't for you (at all).  There's plenty of reasons to love this film. The first is the way that it reminds us that no matter what big things Peter Parker is dealing with, he's still just a kid that wants to hang with his friends and do right. It's what makes Peter so special. By focusing on that, this film can also tell a big story that's both small in how it focuses on the core of Peter Parker but large in how the effects will spread through the MCU.  Our audio review is 100% spoiler-free. You can listen to Kriss & Ro talk about all the non-spoiler reasons this movie is great. Our spoiler review will be coming over the weekend for premium members and include Dpalm joining us to talk. You won't want to miss that.   Like what you hear? Subscribe so you don't miss an episode! Follow us on Twitter: @Phenomblak @InsanityReport @TheMTRNetwork   Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network   Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!  

 Movie Review: Saint Maud | File Type: audio/x-m4a | Duration: 34:36

Kriss, Ro and yes, even Brandon get together to discuss the A24 film, Saint Maud. This film is listed as a horror film but it's really more of a drama/thriller. It does have some body horror in it but it's really more about how the lead character has become completely devoted to her faith to the point of being delusional.  One of the best things this film does is that it doesn't overstay it's welcome. This film gets in then gets out and doesn't try to do too much. It has a simple story to tell about how one can become very dangerous when they project their own insecurities and issues onto others with religion and it tells it well.  This film is definitely not for everyone. But for those looking for a quick film that dives into issues that we see affect us today with deadly consequence, its worth checking out.   Like what you hear? Subscribe so you don't miss an episode! Follow us on Twitter: @Phenomblak @InsanityReport @TheMTRNetwork   Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network   Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!  

 Movie Review: Ghostbusters Afterlife | File Type: audio/x-m4a | Duration: 28:48

Ghostbusters Afterlife is a pleasant surprise. This is a film that had to balance the really difficult task for a film with a cult following of feeding into the nostalgia of long time fans while also bridging the gap to a new generation. While it's not perfect, Ghostbusters Afterlife does a good job of maintaining that balance. There's enough hat tips and callbacks for Ghostbuster fans but the story is also capable of standing on its own.  Ghostbusters Afterlife works well as both an introduction to Ghostbusters and a continuation of the franchise. That's a feat that's really hard to pull off these days. This film is surprisingly fresh in the story it tells. The trailers and TV spots don't really do this movie justice. From the promos you'd think this film relies solely on nostalgia and that's not true. It's a better nuanced story and balance than the promos suggest. Overall the cast is solid. The focus is clearly on Mckenna Grace's Phoebe and she does a great job in the role. By centering the film on her character the film is able to bridge the gap between the two audiences it's trying to connect with. The rest of the cast plays their part in support roles. All of them do a great job even if their characters aren't fully fleshed out. While that can be a problem, this film leaves you curious enough to want more and the lack of attention and depth serves more as a teaser for the future and doesn't feel too much like a deficit.  One of the things that really helps this film is the setting. By moving the story out of New York and into a "middle-of-nowhere" town, Ghostbusters Afterlife feels like it has the room too be it's own story. While there are clearly callbacks and direct ties to the original Ghostbuster films, it helps to not have New York looming in the background like a judgmental parent.  Ghostbusters Afterlife works across the board for everyone. If you weren't interested in seeing this film, it good enough to checkout. If you are a hardcore fan and worried this film wouldn't live up to your expectations, you have nothing to worry about. If you're looking for a film to check out with the family and are willing to brave theaters, this will satisfy that everyone in the family. All around it's a good solid film. It also earns bonus points for setting up for continuing the franchise in new ways.   Like what you hear? Subscribe so you don't miss an episode! Follow us on Twitter: @Phenomblak @InsanityReport @TheMTRNetwork   Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network   Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!  

 Movie Review: Eternals | File Type: audio/x-m4a | Duration: 42:16

One of the things that has made the Marvel Cinematic Universe so successful is how accessible the movies are. Kevin Feige has managed to balance telling comic accurate stories that please existing fans and comic readers while also making the films still make sense to newcomers. It’s one of the most amazing feats of the franchise. And with that they’ve been able to get weirder and bigger and more out there each year. The problem is while Eternals definitely goes big, it also leaves the audience behind a bit. Even the after credit scenes, a staple of Marvel films, are super deep cuts to the lore that are going to leave the average fan wondering “what?”    That’s not to say this is a bad film. No, there is a lot to like about Eternals. Chloé Zhao’s signature is all over this film. Visually, it is absolutely stunning. If there was any concern about Zhao making the journey into shooting big action scenes, Eternals should put that to rest. The action scenes are fantastic and are probably some of the best the MCU has done in a while.    The cast is also fantastic for the most part. Richard Madden’s Ikaris is basically what if Superman wasn’t a boy scout and didn’t have a cape. Lauren Ridloff’s Makkari is probably the best visualization of a speedster that either Marvel or DC has done on screen. But beyond just the use of their powers, the actors themselves are great in the roles Angelina Jolie does a great job as Thena. She’s not the lead in this film and doesn’t overshadow the rest of the cast but still plays her part and role perfectly.    Salma Hayek is the one cast member that could be replaced without feeling like something is lost. She’s not bad but also doesn’t stand out. Some of the biggest problems with the film revolve around her scenes as well as the editing for her scenes seem to be what really drag this film out. The editing of doesn’t Eternals any justice. There are definitely times where audiences will questions why things were cut and placed the way they are. The script struggles to tell its big story without getting lost in it. At times it feels like the film lingers too long in some areas but not enough in others. It's a very weird and frustrating feeling for a film that breaks 2 hours and 30 minutes in runtimes. Eternals could have used the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 1 treatment, where the story is made a big smaller in order to introduce the characters and waited for a second film to get deeper. Instead the film tries to do a lot in one sitting and the result is too many loose ends. Of course this is the MCU and so those threads will be followed up eventually, but it leaves this film feeling incomplete.   The biggest let down in Eternals is the end. This is where it feels like Marvel Studios failed to heed the tail of Icarus (or should I say Ikaris) and flew too close to the sun. As mentioned before, one of the greatest things Marvel Studios has done is craft stories that take the audience along with them. But in Eternals the audience is clearly left behind. There’s so much going on that needs to be explored and just isn’t. The only reason this isn’t a completely catastrophic shortcoming is that we know that Marvel Studios isn’t abandoning the story any time soon so at some point we will get answers. But the result is a film that just feels like it ends just when it was getting good.   It's fitting timing with Eternals coming out shortly after WB’s Dune. There are a lot of similarities between the two, especially when it comes to where they fall short. Both are visually pleasing and will work very well for their own niche, super hardcore fanbases. But both seem to have forgotten that adaptations work best when you have something for everyone. Yes, you want fan service but you also need to not go so deep you lose a new audience.    At the end of the day,

 Movie Review: Halloween Kills | File Type: audio/x-m4a | Duration: 36:17

The first reaction to Halloween Kills, the sequel to 2018 Halloween, is "What the Hell happened?" The 2018 film felt like a fitting end for Michael Meyers and Jamie Lee Curtis' Laurie Strode. In that 2018 film, we watched Laurie take the fight to Michael and it was actually pretty enjoyable. Halloween Kills is a far cry from that film. It's so bad it leaves you wondering if the same crew that made the first film made this one. Surprisingly, the answer is "yes". David Gordon Greene is back as director as are the same writers (Scott Teams and Danny McBride). So what the hell happened? Why did this film fall so far off from what they originally did? The biggest thing that doesn't work for this film is that it sidelines the best thing about the first film. Jamie Lee Curtis was great in the first film. In this film she doesn't share a single scene with her nemesis Michael Meyers. She doesn't die, she's just not used in any scenes with him. That is a bit of a spoiler but after seeing the trailers and promotion for this film, it feels like false advertisement and needs to be called out. Instead of focusing on Strode the film decides to bring in a bunch of other characters from previous films or encounters with Meyers and turn them into a militia that goes after Meyers. While that seems like a plot point that could be interesting, it falls flat for a couple of reasons.  First, it feels forced. Anthony Michael Hall plays an adult Tommy Doyle. Tommy has an obsession with taking down Michael but he thinks he's going to do it with a handful of random folks with a baseball bat. Why on earth would Tommy think a baseball bat is going to stop Michael Meyers? It just feels like the film wanted to say "See, we're connecting it all back to the original series" but didn't care how or why or even if they should. The second issue is that the film seems like it's trying to make a larger commentary on mob mentality but it does a piss poor job at it.  On a positive (maybe the only one), the kills are gory. But they're also boring. Yes, Michael Meyers is a force of nature that is going too plow through people. But Halloween Kills feels like that was the only trick they had up their sleeve and it overplayed it. At some point it felt like watching an old school horror film where you're watching not because it's scary but because the characters are so dumb they deserve to die.  This film ends with the clear indication that they want to make another one. But it really doesn't deserve to continue. Yet that's the history of the Halloween films and the curse of Michael Meyers. Even when they should die, they just pop back up and continue on. Like what you hear? Subscribe so you don't miss an episode! Follow us on Twitter: @Phenomblak @InsanityReport @TheMTRNetwork   Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https...

 TIFF 2021: Silent Night | File Type: audio/x-m4a | Duration: Unknown

Since we’ve all lived through a deadly pandemic, there have been jokes made about how certain storylines and plot devices in movies just won’t work any more because we’ve seen the reality of how people behave. We’ve seen how people react to science, the calls from the government to stay home or get vaccinated. Unfortunately what we saw was people react in ways that prior to 2020 would be called too ridiculous and dumb if they saw play out in a movie. So how does that relate to the movie Silent Night? Well, the problem is that one of the major plot points now seems completely unrelateable now after what we’ve all witnessed (and continue to witness) the last 18 months.  Silent Night has the feel of the 2015 film, The Invitation. A group of friends get together for the holidays, gathering at the home of Nell (Keira Knightley) & Simon (Matthew Goode) to celebrate what might be their last time together. As the film goes on you get bits and pieces of the larger issue that is happening outside of this group that they’re desperately trying to pretend isn’t happening for just one night.  While Silent Night isn’t bad, there are two big problems with it. First is the aforementioned issue of the reality of the last 18 months. Without spoiling the film, there are certain things that happen that just seem unrealistic. It’s not really the fault of the film but more of timing. One of the most important aspects of the story is the UK government issuing certain claims and people just buying into it. Having seen how the UK & US had plenty of doubts around very real issues with COVID, it kinda takes you out of the film. It might just be that we’re still dealing with anti-vaxxers and anti-maskers and so seeing a film where people just go along with the government with little pushback just seems a bit unbelievable. But the bigger issue is that the film doesn’t use its great cast well. In a film like this, the thing that should be most interesting would be the tension in the social group. And while there is some there, it mostly feels like wasted opportunities. There is talk about classism a bit but they never address it really with the group. Which there are plenty of opportunities to do that but don’t.  In the end Silent Night isn’t a bad film, just a forgettable one.  Follow more of our Toronto Film Festival 2021 Reviews and Coverage on our Press Page Page: https://press.mtrnetwork.net Follow us on Social Media: MTRNetwork MTRNetwork @InsanityReport @TheMTRNetwork

 TIFF 2021: Encounter | File Type: audio/x-m4a | Duration: Unknown

Encounter is a film that has some interesting themes but doesn’t fully flesh them all out. It doesn’t have the message it thinks it does mainly because it doesn’t fully complete the thoughts it lays out. It’s not a bad film but also not a very good one either. Really it just sits there in  the middle giving a taste of what could be important themes on policing, mental health and the need for good social workers but not producing the full meal. The synopsis for Encounter states that the movie is about two brothers that embark on a journey with their father (Riz Ahmed) who is trying to protect them from an alien invasion. You quickly figure out that the movie isn’t really about an alien invasion but more about how we treat veterans and ex-felons and how jumps to conclusions for law enforcement can lead to deadly situations.  This cast is pretty solid. As always Riz Ahmed does a fantastic job. He always pulls out great emotions from his characters and this film even gets him to lean into some action for a bit as well. Honestly, Ahmed’s performance is probably the singular thing that saves this film from being totally forgettable. That’s not a knock against the others in this film. They’re also fantastic (particularly Octavia Spencer). But as the lead, Ahmed does a lot of the heavy lifting and had it been anyone else, it actually would have been too much to ask. Again, this film isn’t bad and is definitely worth checking out for the acting. The problem just comes that it will feel a bit unfulfilling. There’s a really great cast here that does what they can but it’s just not enough. Encounter is being distributed by Amazon Studios and will have a limited release on December 3rd and hit Prime Video on December 10th. Follow more of our Toronto Film Festival 2021 Reviews and Coverage on our Press Page Page: https://press.mtrnetwork.net Follow us on Social Media: MTRNetwork MTRNetwork @InsanityReport @TheMTRNetwork

 TIFF 2021: Saloum | File Type: audio/x-m4a | Duration: 38:33

If Saloum is an example of what we can expect from new distributor Lacmé Studios and director Jean Luc Herbulot, then the future is very bright for what we might be seeing coming out of African cinema over the next few years. Clocking in at only 84 minutes, Saloum is able to tell a compelling story that covers several different themes while also being interesting and entertaining story. Usually when a film is trying to do so much and has such a dramatic turn, it loses what it’s trying to say and confuses the audience. Either that or it just runs out of time to fully flesh out the story.  In the beginning this film has the same feel as a spaghetti western or samurai film. It follows three mercenaries that you don’t know much about and are unsure if they’re bad guys or good guys. The one thing that is certain is that they have a very close bond. It’s almost like they’re antihero Three Musketeers. The audience is given just enough about each of them to know what their role in the group dynamic is. What does become clear is that their leader Chaka (Yann Gael) is hiding something and that something might get them all in deeper trouble. What’s really fun about Saloum is the turn at the back third of this film. It’s reminiscent of the turn in From Dusk Till Dawn. The film turns into a horror film based on the lore of the region that works very well. What’s impressive is how the film is able to weave this in without feeling rushed or forced. In fact the turn actually fits in very well with the saying at the very beginning of the film “Revenge is like a river whose bottom is reached only when we drown.” Saloum is definitely something to checkout as is anything else coming out of Lacmé Studios. Follow more of our Toronto Film Festival 2021 Reviews and Coverage on our Press Page Page: https://press.mtrnetwork.net Follow us on Social Media: MTRNetwork MTRNetwork @InsanityReport @TheMTRNetwork

 TIFF 2021: Out of Sync | File Type: audio/x-m4a | Duration: 18:58

Out of Sync tells a compelling story story about a woman that finds herself slowly falling out of sync with the world both mentally and physically. It’s a good story about how a person can feel their world closing down around them but not realize that those close to them love and support them if they would accept the help.  Marta Nieto does a great job playing the unnamed lead character as detached from those around her and standoffish. She plays a sound editor whose personal life is a mess (her ex & his wife need her to vacate the apartment she’s in) and realizes that her hearing is falling out of sync. Add to that her mother has a secret about her upbringing that could be the key to what’s happening to her. What's really great about this film is that the characters you would expect to be terrible and mean, aren't. The main character thinks no one really cares about her but the opposite is revealed. She has plenty of people that care about her if she lets them. Instead she's purposely cut herself off from the world and that's led to this situation where she's now completely falling out of sync. The sound editing in Out of Sync is outstanding. As the lead character falls more and more out of sync with the world, the delay in sound becomes more pronounce. It starts off subtly with the sound being just off slightly. Then the delay becomes longer and longer. It adds to some great moments in the film. Usually having a film being out of sync, isn't a desired effect but in this case it really does work. And honestly in some scenes it really takes some skill. Out of Sync isn't the film for everyone but it's definitely worth checking out. The subtitles in the film actually help, especially with the delay in some oof the audio. If you can sit through that, then this will be right up your alley. Follow more of our Toronto Film Festival 2021 Reviews and Coverage on our Press Page Page: https://press.mtrnetwork.net Follow us on Social Media: MTRNetwork MTRNetwork @InsanityReport @TheMTRNetwork

 TIFF 2021: Hellbound | File Type: audio/x-m4a | Duration: 37:09

How would society react if people started getting predictions that they were set to die and be bound to Hell that came true? That’s the basis for Hellbound. And the first episode opens up showing just how serious it can be. Giant smoke “Hulks” show up and chase a man out of a coffee shop and then beat him to death in the middle of a busy street. Then they perform some kind of “ritual” that leaves only a smoking pile of ash behind. This intense scene happens before the credits even roll and does a good job of setting the stage for the rest of the first 3 episodes.  Hellbound uses the supernatural as a method to tell a story about how society reacts to events that they don’t really understand. Considering what we’ve been dealing with when it comes to COVID and a global pandemic, it comes off as very relevant. First, there’s how religion is used to try to find meaning in things that are happening. There’s a cult in this series that tries really hard to act like they’re not a cult but is clearly a cult. Hellbound uses the idea of “sin” to try to explain away how these things are happening. Obviously if people are being bound to Hell, then clearly they deserve it. There must be a reason for it and so there becomes a national interest in finding out what secrets these people are hiding.  The first three episodes unfold in a way that really suck the audience in. There are moments that almost feel like cliffhangers but aren't even the end of the episode. As things start to get revealed, more questions come up. The third episode really starts to show what's really going on and could even be a good ending if this was a film and not a series. A Netflix release date for Hellbound hasn't been given yet but when it does, it is definitely worth checking out. Follow more of our Toronto Film Festival 2021 Reviews and Coverage on our Press Page Page: https://press.mtrnetwork.net Follow us on Social Media: MTRNetwork MTRNetwork @InsanityReport @TheMTRNetwork

 TIFF 2021: Dashcam | File Type: audio/x-m4a | Duration: 29:18

There’s been a lot of buzz around Rob Savage’s Dashcam and to be honest, none of it is deserved. Dashcam is a film that thinks it’s more shocking than it really is. This is one of those “found footage” type films that gives other films in that category a bad name. It’s frustrating because Savage’s Host has gotten great reviews. But Dashcam is a swing in the opposite direction. Found Footage/“Documentary style” fictional films can be good. Hell, they can be great. Most folks immediately jump to thinking about films like The Blair Witch Project and to be honest, that film is terrible. It’s mostly shaky camera, frantic for no reason and uses unnecessary close-ups to try to force tension. Good found footage films understand that there are several keys to making them work: Have a reason for the camera to always be on Don’t overdo the shaky camera Have a story/plot Make sure there’s a payoff for the audience. Dashcam doesn’t even come close to the good category because it has none of the 4 things need to make the film good. Instead it's just a lazy, mediocre at best movie that relies on the audience sticking around to see the unlikeable and annoying protagonist get what she deserves. Seriously, making your lead character a rapping white woman who is a MAGA troll and Covid denier is a choice. Even worse, this short film spends an aggravating amount of time following her stupid antics before getting to anything interesting (namely whatever the hell was going on with 'Angela'). When we finally do get Angela and the horror elements, we never get the reveal of the story of what's going on. Instead we get annoying moments like a wannabe rapper trying to rap about incest shortly after running for her life. It's all just one big, annoying waste of time.  But the most disappointing thing is that nothing in Dashcam is original. Spend some time scrolling through the Amazon Prime catalog fo horror films and you'll find films that look and feel just like Dashcam does (but better in some cases). It feels hack and lazy. By the time something actually interesting shows up the film is just about over. The most frightening thing about Dashcam is the realization that you'll never get those 77 minutes back. If Rob Savage’s point with Dashcam was to get people “triggered” or talking about his film because of how bad it is, then maybe it’s a success. Other than that this is just a forgettable film in a category flooded with bad to mediocre films. The one positive takeaway from this film is that it increases the desire to highlight the good films. If you’re looking for good found footage films here’s a list to checkout: Troll Hunter Creep 1 & Creep 2 the Hell House LLC series Searching The Visit The Taking of Deborah Logan Chronicle V/H/S 1 & V/H/S 2 the [REC] series Butterfly Kisses Willow Creek Frankenstein’s Army Gehenna: Where Death Lives Follow more of our Toronto Film Festival 2021 Reviews and Coverage on our Press Page Page: https://press.mtrnetwork.net Follow us on Social Media: MTRNetwork MTRNetwork @InsanityReport @TheMTRNetwork

 TIFF 2021: The Guilty | File Type: audio/x-m4a | Duration: 32:30

The Guilty is one of those films that feels like actually benefited from COVID restrictions. Any other time and this film would have gone too far into showing us car chases and big set pieces. Even worse, it would have turned this film into a cop propaganda film that happens so often when a police officer that is clearly unhinged is somehow made into a hero. Instead what we got was an intense thriller that plays on the concept of police jumping to conclusions and how that can lead to dangerous situations. There are several things that really work for The Guilty. First and foremost is Jake Gyllenhaal. Gyllenhaal might be one of the latest set of celebrities to dry snitch on themselves when it come to their questionable hygiene habits but the man can still act his ass off. Playing demoted and clearly troubled officer Joe Bailey, Gyllenhaal captures completely frantic and out of control nature of a police officer that should never have a badge and a gun. Intensity is something Gyllenhaal always brings to his characters and his Joe Bailey really channels his Louis Bloom character from 2014's Nightcrawler. He's very unlikable and clearly shouldn't be working dispatch much less being a cop with a badge. But he also serves as a great vantage point for how dangerous it is for cops to try too hard to dictate situations and jump to conclusions when they don't have all the facts. The rest of the cast is also well suited for this film. Most are not visibly seen (due to Covid restrictions) but still do a great job helping to bring the story together. Da'Vine Joy Randolph plays a CHP dispatcher who routinely reminds Officer Bailey he doesn't have the authority to tell her or anyone else how to do their job. Its a much needed performance that serves in contrast to Bailey's ego and need to play supercop. Peter Sarsgaard and Riley Keough also give great performances that help drive the level of urgency in the film. Also, like Randolph, they do a great job playing off of Gyllenhaal and help enhance his performance since all of their interactions happen through the phone. This is a huge reason why this film works so well. Usually films do better when they “show instead of tell” you what’s happening. However, in The Guilty, hearing what’s happening without actually seeing it works to the film’s advantage. It puts the audience right there in the seat with Officer Bailey with a  little sense of hopelessness because just like him, there’s nothing you can do but sit and wait for someone to explain what happened. this increases the tension in the film and really draws the audience in. It also makes the film feel like there are real stakes. More importantly though, it shows how context matters and that when you’re only one the receiving end of information, it's easy to jump to conclusions that could have devastating consequences. The Guilty has suspense, tension and a sense of urgency that all make this a film worth checking out. Even better, it also shows how the “super cop” on the police force isn’t a good thing for public safety and doesn’t shy away from it.  The Guilty will release in select in select theaters on September 24 and on Netflix October 1. Follow more of our Toronto Film Festival 2021 Reviews and Coverage on our Press Page Page: https://press.mtrnetwork.net Follow us on Social Media: MTRNetwork MTRNetwork @InsanityReport @TheMTRNetwork

 TIFF 2021: Petite Maman | File Type: audio/x-m4a | Duration: Unknown

Kriss and Ro reviewed the film Petite Maman during the 2021 Toronto Film Festival. Writer/director Céline Sciamma returns to the festival circuit with a story about pain, grief, love, and the unique bonds between mothers and daughters.  Follow more of our Toronto Film Festival 2021 Reviews and Coverage on our Press Page Page: https://press.mtrnetwork.net Follow us on Social Media: MTRNetwork MTRNetwork @InsanityReport @TheMTRNetwork

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