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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Photorealism may not suck you into “The Lion King” (2019), but the bonus features in the home release showcasing just how impressive the undertaking was just might.
On paper, adapting The Lion King for a new generation of fans seems like an absolute no-brainer. First released by Disney in 1994, the original Lion King blew the minds of audiences and critics alike as the story and songs… Read More ›
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Alice Waddington’s “Paradise Hills” uses a fairytale motif to demolish the chains of the patriarchy.
Throughout the centuries there’s been one constant: women get the short-end of everything. They’re expected to be virginal, yet sexual; wise, yet naïve; knowledgeable, yet silent. They are instructed through social norms on how to comport themselves publicly and privately…. Read More ›
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Now available for home viewing, “Toy Story 4” breaks the wheel and creates something new.
2009’s Toy Story 3 seemed like the definitive end to the Pixar series begun in 1995. After their owner, Andy, left home for college, Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks) and company found a new home with the daughter of a… Read More ›
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Documentary “The Elephant Queen” is an incredible tale of coexistence, love, and loss.
Recommended for ages 8 and up. As this is a nature documentary, be advised that aspects of the life cycle are prominently featured. Across four years of filming, directors Mark Deeble and Victoria Stone tracked the activities of a herd… Read More ›
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Presenting people instead of caricatures elevates “Miss Virginia” to a film with a high emotional payoff.
No matter the time, no matter the place, the defining trait in every civilization is its educated populace. The choices each individual member makes are based upon the information they have or the information they lack. In modern politics, education… Read More ›
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Rich, bold, and frequently hilarious, Alexis Michalik’s directorial feature debut “Cyrano, My Love” beautifully honors the play and the players of “Cyrano de Bergerac”.
For many, there is a piece of art which, from the moment you come into contact with it, changes everything about the way you engage with the world. It could be a song, a painting, a sculpture, a photo, or… Read More ›
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Andrew de Burgh’s “The Bestowal” is a journey of self–reflection through the examination of humanity.
When most films are focused on action, there’s something to be said for a film more interested in dialogue over everything else. A stripped down, bare bones, minimalistic tale where the audience sits and listens as ideas are presented and… Read More ›
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Patreon Special Episode: Douglas Davidson vs. Adam Portrais.
As one half of The Cine-Men, you’ve likely heard of, if not listened to, The Cine-Men which posts here on EoM. What you may not be aware of is that The Cine-Men is not the only show to air on the Poprika Podcast Network…. Read More ›
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Feeling brave? You can welcome “Annabelle Comes Home” into your own now.
When you hit the seventh installment of a series, you’re either scraping the bottom of the barrel or hitting your stride. What began with co-writers Chad Hayes and Carey W. Hayes and director James Wan in 2013’s The Conjuring is… Read More ›
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“Joker” is an absolute mind-screw in the best and worst ways.
Since director Todd Phillips’s Joker premiered at the 76th Venice Film Festival in August 2019, it’s been mired in controversy. Some hailed the film as an absolute masterpiece of filming, evoking elements of director Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver. Others called… Read More ›