Author Archives
Founder: Elements of Madness | Contributing Senior Film Critic: CLTure | Freelance Film Critic: Mountain XPress | Bylines at Pretty Vacant One and FilmFed | 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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With the home release of “Ip Man 4: The Finale,” the curtain closes on the 11-year-old series.
Inspired by real life martial artist Yip Man, the Ip Man series of films conveys not just the man, but his impact on his community. Beginning in 2008 with the first film, Ip Man starred Donnie Yen (Rogue One: A… Read More ›
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Now may be the best time to curl up at home with a modern adaptation of the classic “Little Women.”
The art we engage with critically shapes who we become as adults. It molds how we view and engage with the world. It shapes our perspective, often subconsciously guiding us through the choices we make. For this review, it was… Read More ›
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The minimalism in indie drama “Stray” is both its greatest strength and weakness.
Writer/director Dustin Feneley’s feature film debut, Stray, is a bold swing. An exercise in minimalism, the dialogue is scant, pans are few, scoring is largely absent, and narrative points are inferred more than directly stated. Aspects of this does translate… Read More ›
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With the home release of “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” the Skywalker Saga comes to a close.
Excluding television programs, there are 14 films and one holiday special that are considered canon within the Star Wars universe. Each one adds new perspectives to the larger universe, but all of them are connected by a single storyline explored… Read More ›
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Dark satire “Vivarium” examines the nuclear suburban family to varying degrees of success.
Considering the entire globe is almost totally under house arrest, the arrival of Vivarium might seem like the worst idea in the world. Focused on a couple whose house-hunting gets them stuck in suburbia, all alone, would be bad enough,… Read More ›
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Bring the immense theatrical scale of “1917” home now.
Of the films to drop in 2019, none impressed this reviewer more from a technical perspective than Sam Mendes’s 1917. Designed, shot, and edited to create a seamless one-take feel, 1917 became one of the year’s most immersive experiences without… Read More ›
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The Cine-Men, Episode 26: CCA 2020 Recap & More
While everyone is doing their part to flatten the curve, enjoy this new episode of The Cine-Men featuring co-hosts Douglas Davidson and Darryl Mansel! For Episode 26 we welcome back Episode 25 guest Noel T. Manning, as well as new… Read More ›
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Criterion gives the special treatment to another Spike Lee joint, the 2000 satire “Bamboozled.”
When it comes to provocative storytelling, there really is no one else like writer/director Spike Lee. More than any modern artist, Lee minces no words with his films, cutting straight through the bullshit each and every time. In his 2015… Read More ›
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Pick up “Spies in Disguise” on home video and join Team Weird.
When the world seems literally about to fall apart, what we need is to remember that we’re all in this together. That, perhaps, the way we’ve been doing things hasn’t been the right way all along. As humans, we tend… Read More ›
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Thoughtful, smart, and executed with precision, “Blow the Man Down” is just the film to help weather the home entertainment storm.
There is nothing more dangerous than the female of any species. They possess the ability to grant life, yet will also bring forth the full weight of their wrath if needed. It’s the lioness who hunts for the pack, the… Read More ›