Author Archives
Founder: Elements of Madness | Contributing Senior Film Critic: CLTure | Past 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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By-the-numbers action thriller “Assault on VA-33” surprises in its examination on veteran treatment.
Around Elements of Madness, story is everything. We’re not looking for giant budgets, major studios, or the biggest names; we’re looking for an interesting idea or an engaging twist on something old. Enter the Scott Thomas Reynolds-written (2nd Chance for… Read More ›
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Let them fight anytime you want with “Godzilla vs. Kong” on home video.
In the blue corner, at a height of 394 feet, is the force of nature himself, Godzilla! In the red corner, at a height of 335 feet, is the one and only King, Kong! As all of humanity waits with… Read More ›
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More ≠ better for “Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard.”
When I left the Patrick Hughes-directed The Hitman’s Bodyguard (2017), the first thought I had was “Looney Tunes.” The way in which the narrative exploits the chemistry between its leads, Ryan Reynolds (Waiting…) and Samuel L. Jackson (Formula 51), the… Read More ›
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In thrilling documentary “The Penny Black,” trust half of what you see and less of what you hear.
It all begins with a story. A young man (Will Cassayd-Smith) is sharing a smoke with his Russian neighbor, Roman, who unexpectedly asks if Will could watch a package for him for about two weeks while he leaves town. The… Read More ›
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The Cine-Men, Episode 50 – Favorite Party Scenes
50. 50 episodes. After three years of recording, we’ve hit a benchmark I suspect both Darryl and I are shocked to have gotten to. We honor our fiftieth by spending a little time talking about the journey that got us… Read More ›
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Enjoy the summer blockbuster feeling at home with director Antoine Fuqua’s “Infinite” on Paramount+.
In 2009, author D. Eric Maikranz self-published his book, The Reincarnationist Papers, with a message inside, a “request for help,” offering an agent’s commission (roughly $10K) if someone in his readerships could help get the book noticed by a Hollywood… Read More ›
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“Indiana Jones” 4-Movie Digital Code Giveaway
The kind folks at Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment sent us a review copy of the newly released Indiana Jones 4-Movie Collection and it contained within it an unexpected surprise: an extra set of digital download codes. Delighted as we are to… Read More ›
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Martial arts crime comedy “Undercover Punch & Gun” is largely undercooked despite good ideas.
Over the last few years in America there’s been a surge of “gun fu” films: The Matrix (1999), Equilibrium (2002), all the way up to the recent John Wick series. It’s not that the combination of martial arts and weaponry… Read More ›
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Surprise! Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani’s “The Lovebirds” is coming to home video.
One of the many adjustments from the COVID-19 shutdowns is that several theatrical releases from major studios were sold/moved to streamers. NEON’s Palm Springs went to Hulu, Paramount’s Coming 2 America went to Amazon, Sony’s An American Pickle went to… Read More ›
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“Nobody” Digital Code Giveaway
After a theatrical and VOD release in March/April, the Bob Odenkirk-led Ilya Naishuller-directed Nobody comes home permanently with a cornucopia of bonus materials. Coming in three iterations, you can snag the digital edition on June 8th or wait for the… Read More ›
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If you go into writer/director BenDavid Grabinski’s film clinging to expectations, your cinematic experience won’t end “Happily.”
Shot over 20 days with the intent to premiere at the 2020 Tribeca Film Festival, writer/director BenDavid Grabinski’s genre-hybrid Happily eventually hit select theaters on March 19th, 2021, along with a simultaneous VOD and digital release. The film is difficult… Read More ›
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In honor of the 20th anniversary of Angelina Jolie’s “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider,” snag both adventures in a new 4K UHD 2-pack.
Its 1996 and British gaming company Core Design has released action-adventure game Tomb Raider for PC, PlayStation, and Sega Saturn consoles. Centered around archeologist/adventurer Lara Croft, the title challenged gamers to solve puzzles and confront strange enemies in pursuit of… Read More ›
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Director James Kicklighter’s “The Sound of Identity” is the rare documentary which delicately shifts the audience away from the expected.
First performed in October 1787, Wolfgang Mozart’s Il dissoluto punito; ossia, il Don Giovanni (The Libertine Punished; or, Don Giovanni) has since been performed countless times around the globe. Like other pieces of art, it’s been recreated and recontextualized to… Read More ›
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A Pinch of Cine-Men: “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” [Patreon Special Episode Sneak]
December 16th, 2016 saw the release of the eighth Star Wars film, the one-off prequel story Rogue One. It tells the story of Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) and a hodgepodge of individuals who band together to steal the Death Star plans to… Read More ›
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“Minari” is a no-frills tale of a family pursuing the American dream.
Of the many decisions made for the 93rd Academy Awards, the shift away from running clips of films seemed like the most bizarre according to vocal viewers online. Whether it was for technical awards or the top six, not running… Read More ›
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The Cine-Men, Episode 49 – Favorite Summer Blockbusters.
Summer may not officially kick off until June 21st, but don’t tell The Cine-Men that! Right about the time the calendar flips to May, movie theaters start churning out releases with big action and big stars as they kick off… Read More ›
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When it comes to Natalie Morales’s “Plan B,” there really is no alternative if you want humor and heart.
Usually, it takes several entries into a director’s catalogue before they push things or delve into hard to process topics. In Natalie Morales’s first film, Language Lessons (2021), she explored platonic love amid COVID-19 in a film she both wrote… Read More ›
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“Cruella” is brilliant and mad in all the right places, but is mostly frustrating.
In the spirit of past Walt Disney live action remakes or reimaginations such as Maleficent or Dumbo, comes Cruella, directed by Craig Gillespie (I, Tonya) and starring the talented Emma Stone (The Favourite), Emma Thompson (Love Actually), Mark Strong (Sherlock… Read More ›
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On the eve of its 10th anniversary, Paramount releases J.J. Abrams’s “Super 8” on 4K UHD.
Writer/director J.J. Abrams is one of the more controversial directors working today. Not “where are the feet?” controversial like Tarantino or “why always so serious?” controversial like Nolan, but in a polarizing love-or-hate way. Abrams is credited by many for… Read More ›
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Wouldn’t it be loverly to enjoy “My Fair Lady” in 4K UHD?
Adaptation is the bread and butter of cinema. Whether it’s remaking novels, short stories, plays, or even other films, adaptations allow storytellers to offer their own perspectives on someone else’s work. Sometimes this comes out poorly (Psycho, 1998), while others… Read More ›