Author Archives
My name is AJ Friar. I am a critic and journalist wanting, wanting to expand my horizons rather it be written reviews or conducting interviews showcasing filmmaking.
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“40 Years of Fuckin’ Up” captures the life and times of NOFX.
NOFX’s 40 Years of Fuckin’ Up is a loud, irreverent, and surprisingly heartfelt documentary celebrating four decades of chaos from one of punk rock’s most enduring bands, NOFX. For longtime fans, the film lands with a bittersweet edge. The band… Read More ›
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“Plantman & Blondie” commits fully to the absurdity for a wild and fun time. [SXSW]
Plantman & Blondie: A Dress Up Gang Film is destined to be one of this year’s breakout cult classics to emerge from the SXSW Film & TV Festival 2026. An offbeat comedy about friendship, purpose, and trying to grow something real… Read More ›
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“Beyond the Duplex Planet” examines the creative experiment zine known as The Duplex Planet. [SXSW]
Beyond the Duplex Planet is a slow and methodical documentary that explores art, aging, and human connection through the work of writer and interviewer David Greenberger. In 1979, Greenberger was a recent art school graduate searching for direction when he took a… Read More ›
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Sci-fi action comedy “Operation Taco Gary’s” is a frustrating mission: unaccomplished.
Operation Taco Gary’s has all the ingredients of a modern cult comedy on paper: an absurd premise, a self-aware tone, and a cast filled with performers who understand how to toe the line between satire and sincerity. With Simon Rex… Read More ›
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“Song Sung Blue” is a very human musical romantic drama based on real life events.
Song Sung Blue stands as one of the most grounded and quietly affecting performances in Hugh Jackman’s career, a surprising turn for an actor often associated with larger-than-life characters and blockbuster spectacle. Here, he strips away the bravado and theatricality… Read More ›
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The spectacle of “Ben-Hur” elevates in 4K Ultra UHD.
Ben-Hur remains one of the most magical and overwhelming moviegoing experiences ever created and its arrival on 4K Ultra HD only reinforces its reputation as one of the most important and influential films in cinema history. Watching it today, especially in… Read More ›
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“Suspect” is sus for getting a bare bones Blu-ray release despite its heavy-hitter cast.
Suspect is definitely a product of the 1980s and, in some ways, that’s part of its charm. The film boasts an impressive cast led by Cher (Moonstruck), Dennis Quaid (The Substance), and a very committed Liam Neeson (The Naked Gun),… Read More ›
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“Twisted” comes up short taking the road well-traveled.
Twisted is a new horror film from Darren Lynn Bousman, a director whose fingerprints are permanently etched into the genre thanks to his work on the Saw series. Bousman helped elevate that franchise into a cultural phenomenon, and while he… Read More ›
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“Killer Whale” gets back to what audiences love about creature features.
Killer Whale is reminiscent of the killer shark movies audiences were spoiled with throughout the 1990s, yet it feels noticeably more grounded and contemporary in its approach. Rather than leaning entirely into camp or excess, the film finds a satisfying… Read More ›
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“Boogie Nights” on 4K disappoints in its lack of Hi-Fi but satisfies with its entourage of special features.
The video transfer of Boogie Nights doesn’t exactly scream top-tier 4K. In fact, at times it looks closer to an upscaled DVD than a true high-end restoration, which is more than a little disappointing for one of Paul Thomas Anderson’s… Read More ›
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Revisit “Awakenings” with Robin Williams and Robert De Niro in 4K UHD.
Awakenings was the movie that finally paired the late Robin Williams with one of the all-time greats, Robert De Niro, resulting in a film that showcases career-defining work from both actors — performances that often get overlooked due to the… Read More ›
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“Secret Mall Apartment” on Blu-ray stores its special features in plain sight.
Secret Mall Apartment is one of those stories that feels far too strange, too rebellious, and too imaginative to be real — yet somehow it is. Set in Rhode Island, the documentary revisits the unbelievable true account of a group of… Read More ›
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“Spinal Tap II: The End Continues” takes the stage on home video.
Spinal Tap II: The End Continues arrives with the kind of baggage only a decades-delayed sequel can carry. The original This is Spinal Tap (1984) didn’t start life as a blockbuster or even much of a mainstream success; rather, it built its… Read More ›
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Spend more time with “The Roses” via digital release with special features.
The Roses is a fine example of how two fantastic comedic leads can elevate material that might not fully deserve them and how a movie can still stumble when its supporting cast and pacing can’t keep up. Benedict Cumberbatch (The… Read More ›
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Ti West and Mia Goth’s “X” horror trilogy gets a fitting box set treatment from A24.
X, Pearl, and MaXXXine together form one of the most distinctive and ambitious horror trilogies of the modern era — films that dared to bring intelligence, style, and emotional heft back to a genre that had been drowning in soulless jump scares. These… Read More ›
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Genre-mashing “Mr. K” joins the hallowed ranks of nightmare hotel feature films.
Mr. K has a lot going for it and most of that energy comes from the always-captivating Crispin Glover (Back to the Future). In one of his most fascinating performances to date, Glover embodies a spiraling character trying desperately to… Read More ›
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“Anniversary” masterfully utilizes misdirection and on-screen chemistry to deliver a full theatrical experience.
Anniversary is one of those rare movies that completely defies the expectations set by its own marketing. At first glance, it looks like your typical chick flick noir psychological thriller, the kind of film that might blend romance and mystery with… Read More ›
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Arrow Video maintains the grindhouse aesthetic of “Ms .45” in its 4K release.
Arrow Video once again delivers a lovingly restored, feature-packed version of a cult classic with a new collector’s edition 4K of Ms .45 (1981). This is one of those deep-cut grindhouse features that may not be to everyone’s tastes, but… Read More ›
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“Better Off Dead” has a first-time 4K UHD edition, so you better have your two dollars handy.
The cult classic Better Off Dead (1985) has finally received an upgrade with its new 4K release and for longtime fans as well as newcomers, the question naturally arises: is this new edition worth the jump from the previously available… Read More ›
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Celebrate 75 years of Billy Wilder’s “Sunset Boulevard” with a first-time 4K UHD edition.
Sunset Boulevard (1950) is often regarded as one of the greatest movies ever made, and after finally sitting down to watch it for the first time, I can honestly say that reputation is fully earned. Billy Wilder’s (The Apartment) masterpiece… Read More ›