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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Before you “Get Away,” be sure to stow your colonialistic tendencies under your seat.
In an always-on world, there’s something beautiful about traveling somewhere without easy access to tech. It helps one recenter and, if with others, reconnect. Traveling is, of course, a privilege and should be treated as deferential to the place one… Read More ›
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By Grabthar’s Hammer, what a new 4K UHD anniversary edition Paramount Pictures has put together to celebrate “Galaxy Quest.”
“Never give up, never surrender!” — these are the words of the intrepid captain of the spaceship Protector, Commander Peter Quincy Taggart, a rally cry to remind his crew that in the face of insurmountable odds, one does not quit…. Read More ›
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See what happens when the clock strikes midnight in “Watchmen: Chapter II” on home video.
Whether literally or metaphorically, nostalgia is always for sale. By tapping into your rose-colored memories, companies have you ready to buy anything under the guise of it helping you escape the hardships of the present for even a moment. Doesn’t… Read More ›
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Arise. A new quest awaits in your local theater for “Solo Leveling” in the composite film “–ReAwakening–.”
Life is not like a video game. Sure, you can improve your health through exercise and your wealth through education, work, and luck, and you shouldn’t smash some bad guys and collect their purse or take their clothes and/or belongings…. Read More ›
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New “The Crow” adaptation is a tale of gods and monsters that never coalesces to reach the heights it aspires to.
Remakes and adaptations are constants in entertainment. For one, they offer safety for skittish executives worried more about their bottom line and upsetting stockholders than taking risks with an unvetted intellectual property (IP). For two, sometimes there are stories that… Read More ›
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“The Terminator” 4K UHD Giveaway
Between the end of 2023 and through 2024, several beloved films in filmmaker James Cameron’s catalog have received the 4K UHD treatment. Most recently, Warner Bros. Pictures released the technohorror action The Terminator on 4K UHD for its 40th anniversary and,… Read More ›
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Patrick Tam’s wuxia tale, “The Sword (名劍),” reaches new audiences with its 2K restoration from Eureka Entertainment.
In 2024, it’s quite easy for cinema-going audiences to identify the Chinese genre of fantastical martial arts tales known as wuxia thanks to films like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), Hero (2002), and, more recently, Śakra (2023). Though a popular… Read More ›
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“The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie” is a grade-A atomic-age blast.
Based on evidence over the last few years, it seems pretty clear that Warner Bros. Discovery Entertainment CEO David Zaslav either hates being a success, doesn’t understand the industry he’s involved in, or merely wants to ensure he gets a… Read More ›
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The “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” home release bonus features offer valuable insights into the horror comedy.
Can you ever really go home again? Nothing is ever as good as it was when you were younger, but that’s because you had the shield of adolescence to protect you. Luckily, when it comes to movies, as long as… Read More ›
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Sam Raimi’s bleak crime thriller “A Simple Plan” is given the 4K UHD remaster it deserves from Arrow Video.
“You can’t see everything.” These four words were a commonplace statement by me on episodes of The Cine-Men (RIP), a way to deflect and soften the fact that while the mind is willing, time and opportunity don’t often allow someone… Read More ›
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“There Was, There Was Not” keeps the reality of a recently-gone homeland from fading into fairytale. [NOFF]
In our era of perpetual information, it’s nearly impossible to keep track of all the horrific embattlements going on across the world. The two most top of mind are the Russo-Ukrainian War and the Israel-Gaza War, but there’s also violence… Read More ›
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Collective student Project “Mysterious Behaviors” utilizes sci-fi trappings to explore concepts of humanity. [NOFF]
The popular idiom “Many hands make light work,” first stated by John Heywood, is incredibly true, especially when working toward the same goal. Professional and large or amateur and small (or some combination), all film productions have some kind of… Read More ›
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“AFRaiD” Digital Code Giveaway
Last week, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released a physical edition of filmmaker Chris Weitz’s (About a Boy; Operation Finale) techno-thriller AFRAID. Rather than utilize the digital code that accompanied the review copy provided by SPHE, EoM is offering it up to… Read More ›
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“Rowdy Friends” examines lives of varied risks and rewards. [NOFF]
“Do you wanna drink, hey do you wanna party? Hey, this is old Hank, ready to get your summer started I cooked a pig in the ground, we got some beer on ice And all my rowdy friends are coming… Read More ›
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“It Ends with Us” Digital Code Giveaway
Last week, the Justin Baldoni-directed adaptation of the Colleen Hoover novel, It Ends with Us, released on physical formats. If you’re curious to check out the film, EoM is giving away the digital code that accompanied the review copy provided by… Read More ›
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“1982: Greatest Geek Year Ever!” Blu-ray Giveaway
Originally released as limited series from 2022-2023 on The CW, 1982: Greatest Geek Year Ever!, directed by Roger Lay Jr. and written by Mark A. Altman, is gathered together in one 164-minute production as a new addition to the MVD… Read More ›
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Book adaptation “It Ends with Us” disappoints as much as a home release as it does as both a drama and rom-com.
Trigger Warning: It Ends with Us explores domestic abuse and includes an instance of attempted sexual assault. In 2024, a film released in theaters in which a woman has a meet-cute with a man, finds herself falling love, struggles to… Read More ›
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Animated adventure fable “Sirocco and the Kingdom of Winds” envelopes for a pleasant sensory experience.
There are fables that challenge children (The NeverEnding Story), that push children (Labyrinth), and that are not safe for children (Pan’s Labyrinth). In each instance, no matter their differences, the perspective of the child is the focal point through their… Read More ›
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Techno-thriller “AFRAID” comes home, but should you let it in?
Artificial Intelligence, more commonly referred to as A.I., is a staple of science fiction. The incorporation of it within novels, television programs, film, and video games is often in a supportive role toward humanity. Batman uses it to help solve… Read More ›
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4K release of “Trap” is absent satisfying trimmings.
Whether the films work for you or not, there’s no denying that an M. Night Shyamalan film is going to provoke a reaction; we’re not talking heavily divisive so much as generating conversation with audiences heralding the best parts and… Read More ›