Author Archives
Founder: Elements of Madness | Contributing Senior Film Critic: CLTure | Past Bylines at Pretty Vacant One, FilmFed, & Mountain Xpress | The Cine-Men podcast co-host | NC Film Critics Association, Southeastern Film Critics Association, & Critics Choice Association member | Rotten Tomatoes approved individual critic
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The lesser-known aftermath of World War II is brought into the light thanks to director Mizuho Nishikubo’s “Giovanni’s Island,” now available from GKids Films and Shout! Factory.
Acts of aggression always come with unintended consequences. On the smaller scale, as when my children fight, it could be that the toy they’re fighting over takes a break for a bit and neither gets to use it. On the… Read More ›
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With a giggle and a wink, Tomas Gomez Bustillo’s “Chronicles of a Wandering Saint” asks audiences whether we notice that heaven is a place on earth. [SXSW]
How do you know if you’ve lived a good life? That’s a hard question to answer objectively because of the various cultural and social rules that come to define what “good” is. Do intentions really matter if someone gets hurt… Read More ›
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Bring the debauchery of Damien Chazelle’s divisive “Babylon” home, courtesy of Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment.
Whiplash, La La Land, First Man — each one directed by Damien Chazelle, two of three written by him, and each one (love or hate them) makes a declarative statement regarding its subject. It shouldn’t surprise that the Oscar winner… Read More ›
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“Code of the Assassins” Blu-ray Giveaway
Black Mask (1996) and Dragon Blade (2015) director Daniel Lee Yan-Kong released wuxia action drama Code of the Assassins (青面修罗) in 2022, with it landing on streamer Hi-YAH! at the start of March and on home video via Well GO USA toward… Read More ›
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Prequel “Furies” rages harder and asks tougher questions than its predecessor.
Content Warning: Sexual assault and violence against women are heavy visual and narrative themes throughout the film. Actor Ngô Thanh Vân has been working for nearly two decades across genres and countries. She’s known more widely in the U.S. by… Read More ›
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Director Vasilis Katsoupis’s “INSIDE” is a layered exploration of the things people value and how those things can separate us.
As with every generation, there is a separation in what’s considered normal or acceptable as one comes up into adulthood. Growing up, there was a sense that homes should be filled with photographs of posed family and pieces of art,… Read More ›
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Sony Pictures Home Entertainment re-releases Wolfgang Petersen’s suspense-filled actioner “Air Force One” in a limited edition steelbook.
“It’s not the years, honey, it’s the mileage.” “Never tell me the odds.” “I know.” “Get off my plane!” An actor is lucky if they get even one line that stands the test of time, invading the zeitgeist and maintaining… Read More ›
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In celebration of its 25th anniversary, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment releases Martin Campbell’s swashbuckling “The Mask of Zorro” in a limited edition 4k UHD Blu-ray steelbook.
As a child who enjoyed studying myths and legends from Roman and Greek culture, it wasn’t much of a leap to be fascinated by super hero stories. Typically, the ones that drew me came from DC Comics, specifically Superman. The… Read More ›
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Sundance 2022 Special Jury Prize Winner “Leonor Will Never Die” comes home, thanks to Music Box Films.
I love the movies. Gosh, I love movies. I love watching them and I love making them. – Keanu Reeves, May 14th, 2019. We should all be so lucky to be able to do what brings us joy, what fulfills… Read More ›
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With “Creed III” in theaters, go back to the beginning and explore the first four films of the “Rocky” Universe in 4K UHD for the first-time in the newly released “Knockout Collection.”
On March 3rd, 2023, Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) stepped into theaters with Creed III, the ninth film in the Rocky Universe. It’s a film that takes the character, the offspring of original Rocky (1976) character Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers),… Read More ›
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Loevner and Kanter’s new romantic dramedy asks audiences if they plateau or keep rising when they hit “Peak Season.” [SXSW]
What is best in life? For some, it’s the ability to travel, to wear fine clothes, and eat exotic dishes. For others, to achieve greatness either professionally or personally. If one considers the ideas within filmmaking team Henry Loevner and… Read More ›
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Documentarian Tracy Droz Tragos’s “Plan C” declares that there is no freedom when healthcare is criminalized. [SXSW]
One of the founding principles in the United States is the separation of Church and State. This concept is intended to ensure that the laws of the land are written without any one specific faith guiding how the country functions…. Read More ›
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The Cine-Men Awards Chat 2023, Part 2
It’s time for the Fifth Annual Awards Chat! As we head into the 95th Academy Awards, The Cine-Men go through the Top Six categories, offering our thoughts on each of the nominees in Actor/Actress Supporting, Actor/Actress Lead, Director, and Picture…. Read More ›
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Tünde Skovrán’s pseudo-narrative documentary may not inform who you are, but it will strongly convey “Who I Am Not.” [SXSW]
So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them. – Genesis 1:27 – New International Version There are many versions of Genesis 1:27. They each carry the… Read More ›
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To destroy the systems that keep us in place, we may need “The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster.” [SXSW]
Content Warning: The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster feature several scenes involving flashing lights. Photosensitive audiences should take precautions before viewing. Those who proclaim that America isn’t racist or isn’t built upon racist structures is either profiting from it… Read More ›
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Michael Lukk Litwak’s “Molli and Max in the Future” is a hilarious satirical rom-com of the present. [SXSW]
Content Warning: Photosensitive viewers should be aware that Molli and Max in the Future contains a great deal of flashing lights and bright neon colors that may trigger issues. Though no migraine was caused by the end of the viewing… Read More ›
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With “Confessions of a Good Samaritan,” documentarian Penny Lane’s uninhibited examination of self via altruistic donation may change perceptions and save lives. [SXSW]
Documentaries often reveal as much about their subject as they do the documentarian capturing it. We get a sense of who they are and what they value based on the editing, the structure, and the overall energy of a film… Read More ›
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The Cine-Men Awards Chat 2023, Part 1
It’s time for the Fifth Annual Awards Chat! As we head into the 95th Academy Awards, The Cine-Men go through the Top Six categories, offering our thoughts on each of the nominees in Actor/Actress Supporting, Actor/Actress Lead, Director, and Picture…. Read More ›
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The Cine-Men, Episode 81: Most Anticipated Films of 2023
In Episode 80, The Cine-Men closed out our discussion of 2022 releases and are now turning our sights toward 2023. To make things far more interesting, co-host Darryl Mansel suggested that we leave franchise films off our lists (folks know… Read More ›
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Meet Me at the Movies: Episode 493
It’s been a minute since I joined the Meet Me at the Movies crew and the release of Creed III is an excellent reason to return. On episode 493, I join host Noel T. Manning for a one-on-one chat about the Rocky Universe… Read More ›