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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Documentary “Kids Like Me” showcases community impact on daily life as well as on big moments for an aspiring murder mystery writer/director. [Tribeca]
Shawn Spencer: Good morning, detectives! Collecting donations for the Policeman’s Ball? Carlton Lassiter: We don’t have balls. Shawn Spencer: I honestly have no response for that. Carlton Lassiter: Need I remind you, Mr. Spencer, what happens when you interfere with… Read More ›
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“The Furious” will fight everyone to save their loved ones and *everyone* worth fighting is in the mix.
There was a time, not so long ago, but long enough that it seems impossible, when access to high-quality martial arts action was near impossible. You had to know the right people, trade the right tapes, or be willing to… Read More ›
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Documentary “4000 Days” looks at a decade-long battle by grieving families to save others from Greek Life hazing practices. [Tribeca]
When it comes to parenthood, of all the things that one can prepare the least for, it’s the loss of a child. Doesn’t matter if it’s expected or unforeseen, little can truly prepare you for the unnatural feeling of saying… Read More ›
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Writer/director Rob Burnett’s tragicomic “In Memoriam” utilizes the ridiculousness of the Hollywood machine to explore the concept and weight of legacy. [Tribeca]
“Who wants to live forever, Forever is our today, Who waits forever anyway?” – “Who Wants to Live Forever” by Queen What does it mean to live forever and what does it say about those who seek it? For some,… Read More ›
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Sarcastically titled documentary “AI: Probably Nothing to Worry About” looks back at how we got here. [Tribeca]
Your denial of the importance of objectivity amounts to announcing your intention to lie to us. Noone should believe anything you say. – John McCarthy, computer scientist and “Father of AI.” Commodification is a natural occurrence in society. An extension… Read More ›
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Documentarian Josh Alexander invites audiences into a creative commune with “Sara Bareilles: Good Grief.” [Tribeca]
In 2007, singer/songwriter Sara Bareilles released Little Voice, her second album, the one that helped her breakthrough with tracks like “Love Song,” “Bottle It Up,” “Morningside,” and (personal favorite) “Many the Miles.” Since then, she’s released several studio and live… Read More ›
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“Hoppers” on home video allows you to bring the absurd chaos of nature right into your ecosystem.
“Funny thing is, you’re about 10 times more likely to get killed by a falling airplane-part than by a shark.” -Gi in Captain Planet and the Planeteers Things could be simpler if we wanted them to be. Folks could have… Read More ›
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33 Tribeca Film Festival 2026 films that caught our attention.
Elements of Madness returns for the sixth time to cover Tribeca Film Festival. The 2026 edition is going to be special as it’s not only the 25th anniversary of the fest, but it’s going to be covered by EoM Founder… Read More ›
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“Fight Club” on 4K UHD embodies the IKEAfication of consumerism.
Photosensitivity Warning: The opening title sequences includes repeated flashing for the duration. This may be triggering for photosensitive individuals. “This is your life, good to the last drop Doesn’t get any better than this This is your life and it’s… Read More ›
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Psychological thriller “Sender” wields digital curation as bladed commentary on trust and social responsibility.
In the digital age of consumerism, just about everything you need is at your fingertips. From the comfort of your living space, you can order (and reorder) food, clothes, and entertainment, and barely interact with another human being. The trade-off… Read More ›
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The 4K UHD restoration of Kevin Reynolds’s swashbuckling adventure “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves” comes available to U.S. viewers via Arrow Video.
There are some films which come together and seem like a slam dunk yet fail to connect with audiences, while others are this mysterious combination of magic that, against all odds, finds its way both into audience’s hearts but also… Read More ›
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Head back to the woods of Seattle with Kino Lorber’s brand-new 4K UHD restoration of family adventure “Harry and the Hendersons.”
There are those among us who proudly describe themselves as “Amblin kids.” Sure, it’s a descriptor I’ve just made up, but if you grew up in the era of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), Gremlins (1984), The Goonies (1985), Back to… Read More ›
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Return to “The Great Outdoors” in Kino Lorber’s first-time 4K UHD restoration of this Howard Deutch-directed family comedy.
Bear… bear… Big Bear… big bear chase meeeeeeee…! – Chet (John Candy) in The Great Outdoors In the modern era of comedy, there are few performers spoken of with the same reverence as John Candy. A Canadian actor and performer,… Read More ›
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Mixed-format drama “A/way” wrestles with reconciling past and present self after a major loss.
The reason that most are nostalgic for the past is not because things were better “back then,” but because responsibilities were different. For those who kvetch about their present, it’s because their childhood didn’t involve worry about clothes, food, or… Read More ›
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Maiden, Mother, Crone, Whore — they are all “The Bride!”
Trigger Warning: The Bride! incorporates several instances of violence against women that may be triggering for individuals who’ve experienced sexual assault. Additionally, there’s a scene in a club that utilizes flashing lights which may induce a reaction for those with… Read More ›
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“Moss & Freud” Digital Code Giveaway
There was a time when no one in the world could go anywhere without seeing supermodel Kate Moss. During this period, artist Lucian Freud and Moss would work together, ultimately forming an unexpected relationship. Writer/director James Lucas makes his feature-film… Read More ›
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Hoh?! “Speed Racer” on first-time 4K UHD offers the best iteration of the Wachowski Sisters’ cult classic family adventure.
Photosensitivity Warning: The 4K UHD disc of Speed Racer includes the following warning that, “[t]his film may cause seizures in viewers susceptible to photosensitivity epilepsy.” “Get that weak shit off my track.” – Emile Hirsch as Speed Racer in Speed… Read More ›
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Meet Me at the Movies: Into the Horrorverse – The Overlook Film Festival Highlights
2023 marked the first time that I covered The Overlook Film Festival, a horror-centric four-day festival that takes place in New Orleans, LA. Since then, I’ve covered it three times, viewing films from throughout the world – some having their… Read More ›
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Roher and Tyrell’s tech doc “The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist” doesn’t inspire the apocaloptimism it aspires to.
There have been a number of built-in computerized assistants since the wide-spread adoption of the personal computer. In my day, it was Clippy who popped up to offer guidance on the task you were seeking to complete. Then came Siri… Read More ›
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Darkly comedic thriller “$POSITIONS” puts the consumptive nature of the United States on full display.
We all have our addictions. Of course, the term is about as misused in common discourse in the same way that proclaiming oneself as OCD or ADHD is, but, here, it’s true. Whether it’s checking digital notifications, ingesting caffeine, or… Read More ›