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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The Cine-Men, Episode 89: Spy Films
Returned from a longer-than-anticipated break and The Cine-Men are back with a plan for the rest of the year that sees them identify and explore several major genres in cinema. First up, we dig into a few of our favorite… Read More ›
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John Rosman’s directorial debut “New Life” explores all the angles of the phrase in his engaging thriller. [Fantasia International Film Festival]
It is entirely human to draw fear from the unknown. How does one plan for it? Prepare for it? Is it the loss of control or autonomy that one fears? Or is it something else entirely? When we look into… Read More ›
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Can we still live with ourselves when “Vincent Must Die (Vincent doit mourir).” [Fantasia International Film Festival]
Despite all my rage, I am still just a rat in a cage… “Butter with Butterfly Wings,” The Smashing Pumpkins There are terms and conditions within a society that we all agree to, whether consciously or not. This social contract… Read More ›
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“It Lives Inside” utilizes horror to explore the schism of cultural identity via the immigrant experience. [Fantasia International Film Festival]
Immigrant stories are connected to the fabric of America as it exists today. Whether they are just arriving, first generation, second, or beyond, what binds the majority of immigrants together is that they (including myself) are not from here and… Read More ›
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“Fast X” delivers the goods with over an hour of bonus materials as a home release.
When The Fast and the Furious first premiered in 2001, I don’t think anyone would have expected to still be writing about it in 2023. Not only that, but to also see it as one of the largest soap operas… Read More ›
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“Restore Point” offers a thrilling ride even along a predictable path. [Fantasia International Film Festival]
One of the great things about science fiction stories is the way audiences can jump past an infraction point in society — all the failures, all the arguing, all the attempts at restoration — and explore a world that’s seemingly… Read More ›
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The fourth entry in the “Shin” Universe, “Shin Kamen Rider” explores the battle of hope against nihilism within a tokusatsu package. [Fantasia International Film Festival]
Released in March earlier this year in Japan, Shin Kamen Rider (a.k.a. Shin Masked Rider) is the fourth film in the Shin series developed by writer/director Hideaki Anno and others in order to make modern reimaginings of popular Japanese tokusatsu… Read More ›
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The Cine-Men, Episode 88: Top Five Films of 2023 (So Far)
As per our custom, The Cine-Men co-hosts Darryl Mansel and myself present to you our favorite films of 2023 so far. We’ve got miles to go before the end of the year and plenty more films to come out, but… Read More ›
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Enjoy the mystical martial arts of “Magic Cop” in 88 Films’s HD restoration.
Wei Tung, also known as Stephen Tung, has worked alongside Sammo Hung (The Incredible Kung Fu Master), Jackie Chan (Twin Dragons), Chow Yun-fat (Hard Boiled), Vincent Zhao (Once Upon a Time in China V) as an actor, but also directed… Read More ›
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“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” Digital Code Giveaway
Beginning August 1st, 2023, James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is available to own on both digital and physical formats. If you haven’t yet snagged a copy for yourself, perhaps EoM can help! As has become my habit,… Read More ›
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“Night of the Assassin” Blu-ray Giveaway
Originally released as The Assassin, writer/director Kwak Jeong-deok sees their Korean action/adventure project released in the states under the name Night of the Assassin, first put on digital (streamer Hi-YAH!) and then coming available on physical formats in August. Thanks to U.S…. Read More ›
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It’s time to say see you later, not goodbye, to the MCU Guardians of the Galaxy with “Vol. 3” on home video.
“Ain’t no thing like me, except me.” Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper) in Guardians of the Galaxy When Marvel Studios first started, rather than jumping to the characters of Fantastic Four or even Captain America, they began with Tony Stark,… Read More ›
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Russian satire “Ампир V (Empire V)” sinks its teeth into the metaphor of control. [Fantasia International Film Festival]
No matter how hard we try, we are always bound to a system. At birth, we’re in the hands of our caregivers. In adolescence, we’re in the hands of those who guide us. In adulthood, we’re in the hands of… Read More ›
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One might have “Sympathy for the Devil,” but they won’t have any surprises.
There are few actors whose name recognition is tarnish-free whether appearing in a prestige picture or low-budget romp. In fact, among those few, Nicolas Cage is one where when his name is attached, audiences are aware that, whether good, bad,… Read More ›
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“Aporia” reminds that time is but a series of moments to be cherished amidst the chaos. [Fantasia International Film Festival]
APORIA: 1 – an expression of real or pretended doubt or uncertainty 2 – a logical impasse or contradiction Time manipulation in film is nothing new as the fascination with changing outcomes is the foundation of many people’s misery. “What… Read More ›
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It’s Pros vs. Amateurs in “Baby Assassins: 2 Babies.” [Fantasia International Film Festival]
There are some films whose descriptions pique your interest and under-deliver, some which meet expectations, and some which blow your mind (the diamonds in the rough). The 2021 crime comedy Baby Assassins, written and directed by Yûgo Sakamoto, is the… Read More ›
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The Criterion Collection welcomes a seventh Martin Scorsese production with a 4K UHD edition of “After Hours.”
Martin Scorsese is one of the more prolific filmmakers in modern cinema. He’s a writer (Goodfellas (1990); The Age of Innocence (1993)), actor (Cannonball (1976); Shark Tale (2004)), producer (Clockers (1995); Uncut Gems (2019)), a supporter of world cinema and… Read More ›
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“River Wild” Blu-ray Giveaway
Back in 1994, director Curtis Hanson (L.A. Confidential) took audiences on a ride through white water when Meryl Streep’s Gail Hartman had to protect her exceptionally vulnerable family from Kevin Bacon’s nefarious Wade in The River Wild. Nearly 30 years… Read More ›
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Teresa Sutherland’s directorial debut, “Lovely, Dark, and Deep,” speaks to humanity’s quest for answers as they rage against the unknown. [Fantasia International Film Festival]
“The woods are lovely, dark, and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.” – The final stanza of Robert Frost’s Stopping by Woods on a Snowy… Read More ›
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“Stay Online” pulls the audience into a personal battle set during a current war and pins you down. [Fantasia International Film Festival]
Trigger Warning: A newsreel montage near the beginning includes footage of wartime incidents, including the dead and wounded. We are a world on the brink of a third global war all because of pride and greed. For nearly 10 years,… Read More ›