Author Archives
Founder: Elements of Madness | Past Bylines at CLTure, Pretty Vacant One, FilmFed, & Mountain Xpress | NC Film Critics Association, Southeastern Film Critics Association, & Critics Choice Association member | Rotten Tomatoes approved individual critic
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Nothing can stop you from enjoying “Thunderbolts*” at home.
Trigger Warning: Thunderbolts* includes depictions of suicidal ideation and an exploration of depression. Phase Five of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is official over and Six is set to kick off with The Fantastic Four: First Steps; but, before we… Read More ›
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Get ready to throw down in “The Forbidden City.” [Fantasia]
Since Cain slew Abel, it’s believed that humanity has continued to find ways to betray itself, regardless of the cost. As such, stories have found ways to exploit this element of the human condition as a means for narrative catalyst,… Read More ›
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Revisit Morgan Freeman’s school drama “Lean on Me” in a brand-new HD edition via Warner Archive.
“Education is the silver bullet. Education is everything.” – Sam Seaborn (Rob Lowe) on The West Wing Affirmative stories are nothing new. Stories that try to uplift audiences through the overcoming of adversity have brought about films like Brian’s Song… Read More ›
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Comedy “The Floaters” captures the mishegoss of summer camp, even if it is pretty paint-by-numbers.
Context Warning: The Floaters is an inherently Jewish film and I was raised in the Reform sect, so some things are going to be discussed that only those aware of the terms may understand. This warning is applied because the… Read More ›
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“Honeko Akabane’s Bodyguards” walks the fine line between manga art direction and reality, bringing some fun along with it. [Fantasia]
Trigger Warning: An extended introduction sequence includes frequent brief flashing effects that may be difficult for photosensitive viewers. What does it mean to be a hero? Stories from around the world and throughout time try to navigate this question. Few… Read More ›
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Filmmaker Tōru Murakawa’s “The Beast to Die” gets a welcomed limited edition 4K HD restoration from Radiance Films.
If someone is asked to identify their favorite war-related films, most likely they’ll name American-made films, not because they’re inherently better but because they are often more prolific. The truth is that war is one of the few concepts that… Read More ›
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Lo-fi punk comedy “The Gesuidouz” isn’t for everyone (and that’s alright). [Japan Cuts]
Art isn’t for everyone. It can be profitable for the artist if it is, striking the balance between personal vision and widespread appreciation, but it’s not a necessity. Sometimes art is entirely for the artist, the work so niche that… Read More ›
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Sci-fi fantasy “Rewrite” encourages a re-evaluation of what people expect from time loop stories. [Fantasia]
Each story — the ones we tell ourselves that make up our reality and the ones that creatives make for the books, shows, and films we ingest — is a matter of perspective and, frequently, the audience is rarely asked… Read More ›
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Pass the moonshine and man your battle stations: it’s time to “Hold the Fort.” [Fantasia]
I ain’t here for a long time, I’m here for a good time So bring on the sunshine, to hell with the red wine Pour me some moonshine When I’m gone, put it in stone, “He left nothing behind” I… Read More ›
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The lid’s off the garbage as director Fritz Lang’s crime thriller “The Big Heat” is available on 4K UHD via The Criterion Collection.
It only takes one person’s moment of greed to poison the lives of countless others. This isn’t to suggest that individuals aren’t in control of their choices, but, if one ascribes to Chaos Theory, there’s a strong inclination that our… Read More ›
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“Batman Ninja” rides the Quake Engine back to feudal Japan in a brand-new 4K UHD edition.
Comic book heroes are filtered through the eyes of the creatives before reaching the reader, empowering our heroes to shift, change, and experience adventures that are unique to the storyteller. Sure, it may create places for readers to argue and… Read More ›
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Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” brings further enlightenment with glorious bonus features on its home release. Invite it in.
“See, white folks, they like the blues just fine. They just don’t like the people who make it.” – Delta Slim (Delroy Lindo) Xenophobes exhibit a strange cognitive dissonance. They own iPhones, but hate the people who make them. They… Read More ›
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Roots and wings drenched with resentment require a new generation to invoke “Self-Help” to break free from generational trauma. [Chattanooga Film Festival]
Parents of the modern generation find themselves with unique challenges compared to prior ones, particularly due to a shift in perspective which acknowledges children as people and not as accessories. This means recognizing their needs and emotions, helping to position… Read More ›
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“Wick Is Pain” brings forward the true heart of what makes the “John Wick” films great.
With few exceptions, American-based action stars primarily relied on either physical strength (Arnold Schwarzenegger) or firearms (Bruce Willis; Eddie Murphy) as the means for righting perceived wrongs. Slowly, however, thanks to actors like Chuck Norris (Enter the Dragon; Missing in… Read More ›
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37 Fantasia International Film Festival 2025 films we hope to experience.
July 2025 includes the 29th edition of Fantasia International Film Festival and Elements of Madness is delighted to be covering the esteemed fest for the sixth time. EoM Founder Douglas Davidson and EoM Contributors Justin Waldman and AJ Friar are… Read More ›
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Kang Hyungchul’s superhero action thriller “Hi-Five” brings the laughs and the pain.
“With great power, comes great responsibility.” – Stan Lee, 1962 Amazing Fantasy #15 Despite it now being more than 17 years since the Marvel Cinematic Universe began with Iron Man (2008), superhero stories remain in high demand from audiences in… Read More ›
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“Jaws” turns 50 and Universal Pictures celebrates with a 4K UHD re-issue and a new exploratory documentary.
Fifty years ago, on June 20th, 1975, Steven Spielberg (Hook) unleashed Jaws into theaters and audiences immediately became terrified to go into the water. Widely regarded as the first blockbuster film, its legacy is indelible between its John Williams (Star… Read More ›
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Halfway Through 2025: The 28 Best Films of 2025 So Far.
It’s July and that means we’re closer to 2026 than we are the start of 2025. Even better, it means that many of the films that released in the first half of 2025 are likely more available than you realize…. Read More ›
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The horror of R.T. Thorne’s alt-universe “40 Acres” is planted firmly in our past and present. [The Overlook Film Festival]
The longer one is alive, the more one learns about history, the more timeline events feel like traveling in a circle, rather than in a flat line. Communities build up, empires rise, blights come, and, eventually, the empires fall. The… Read More ›
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Character-driven drama “The Scout” offers a meditative narrative about the spaces we occupy. [Tribeca]
Turn on the tv, switch on a streaming service, and you’re going to find some form of programming. These programs, whether you realize it or not, are planned as meticulously as possible to ensure that entertainment is high, all the… Read More ›