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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True story “Critical Thinking” is a gripping drama powered by strong performances and fantastic direction.
May 8th – 10th of 1998 marked the 30th anniversary of the U.S. Chess Federation’s National High School Championship. With 230 schools from 32 states, the Wyndham Hotel at Los Angeles Airport was filled with some of the brightest minds… Read More ›
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WB Home Entertainment releases four adventurous catalogue titles in 4K UHD for the first time.
It’s showtime! Warner Brothers Home Entertainment is dropping not one, not two, but four new 4K UHD editions from their vast catalogue: Richard Donner’s The Goonies (1985), Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice (1988), and Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes (2009) and Sherlock Holmes:… Read More ›
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Explore the depths of the oceans in director Ayumu Watanabe’s manga adaptation “Children of the Sea.”
One of the things I love about GKids Films, a distributor of Asian animated films, is the absolute variety and high quality of each production they release in the U.S. The films they release range from stop-motion (My Life as… Read More ›
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Arrow Video’s restoration of classic horror camp “Elvira: Mistress of the Dark” is worth the price of admission.
As a kid with a profoundly accelerated imagination, there was no way I would ever watch something horror-related even though I frequently wanted to. Scoping out the VHS cover art while waiting in line at Kroger’s or hitting my local… Read More ›
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“Bill & Ted Face The Music” is a most triumphant end for the time-traveling duo.
Imagine, if you will, that you’re a teenager sitting at your local hangout, a Circle K, perhaps, when someone drops out of the sky and tells you they are from the future and that you’re destined to be the foundation… Read More ›
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The Cine-Men, Episode 38: Release The Snyder Cut.
The latest episode of The Cine-Men is a special one and marks a change in how we’ve produced episodes. For the first time, we’re dedicating the entire show to one topic and we’re joined by a very special guest to… Read More ›
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Character drama “The King of Staten Island” comes home with plenty of in-depth bonus features.
Inspired in-part by his own real-life trauma, comedian Pete Davidson (Saturday Night Live) crafted a story in partnership with director Judd Apatow (This is 40) and writer/producer Dave Sirus that presents a fictional tale of heartache, profound pain, and, ultimately,… Read More ›
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Explore the legend of pre-Civil War hero Shields Green via new home release “Emperor.”
The truth is often less exciting, less inspirational than fiction. My presumption for this is not because the truth lacks power, but that our individual imaginations build up ideas until they are larger than any one person or concept. It’s… Read More ›
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A mash-up of styles and approaches, Michael Almereyda’s “Telsa” attempts to capture the eccentric spirit of the brilliant inventor.
After premiering at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival, director Michael Almereyda’s (Marjorie Prime) experimental biopic Tesla is coming available to audiences. Much like the titular man, Almereyda’s film possesses idiosyncrasies as it mashes together a steam punk vibe, chronological anomalies,… Read More ›
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The Cine-Men, Episode 37: School Days
August is about when most folks return to school and Fall 2020 is shaping up to be a humdinger of a return to school season as students and parents alike grapple with virtual education vs. in-person options. In our attempt… Read More ›
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“Words on Bathroom Walls” offers an astonishingly frank presentation of schizophrenia within a YA package.
Author Julia Walton’s 2017 young adult novel Words on Bathroom Walls centers on Adam Petrazelli, a high school senior whose dreams of culinary school seem destined for tragedy soon after he’s diagnosed with schizophrenia. Adapted for the big screen by… Read More ›
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Disney+’s “The One and Only Ivan” is a bittersweet tale that’ll encourage empathic development in younger audiences.
Sometime around 1964, an infant silverback gorilla was rescued from poachers, was brought to the U.S., and lived with a family in their home until he grew too large. At that point, the silverback, called Ivan, became the headlining act… Read More ›
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Sci-fi crime thriller “Project Power” asks what you’re willing to give up to become something more.
Superhero stories are in vogue right now between the mass popularity of big screen films from Marvel and DC and the programs, primarily DC properties, which are all over television and the fact that many of the showrunners, producers, and… Read More ›
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“The King of Staten Island” Digital Code Giveaway
Elements of Madness is excited to announce we’ve partnered with Universal Pictures on the upcoming home release of The King of Staten Island. In anticipation of the Blu-ray/DVD release on August 25th, we are giving away five (5) digital codes of… Read More ›
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Looking to take a risk on some at-home entertainment? Gamble on “Lucky Grandma.”
No matter what you think of how movies are being distributed in the COVID Era, there’s no denying the quality of the films finding their ways to audiences. If you don’t think there’s anything to watch, that may be because… Read More ›
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Documentary “Boys State” is a shockingly high-energy, edge of your seat experience.
Founded in 1935 by The American Legion, Boys State is an event in which young men from around the country gather in various cities for one week to get immersed in politics. In its lengthy history, past members like William… Read More ›
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Alexandra Shipp shines in supernatural romance “Endless.”
Let me describe to you a movie in brief: two young lovers are ripped apart as one dies tragically while the other tries to cope with life without their partner, except — and here’s the twist — the one who… Read More ›
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The Cine-Men, Episode 36: Movie Monologues
Almost every film has a moment where a character either can’t take it any more, has to rally the troops, or otherwise share some extensive piece of information. It became so notable for a character to do this while riding… Read More ›
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Lech Majewski’s “Valley of the Gods” possesses high concepts which never coalesce.
There is, perhaps, nothing more frustrating for a cinephile than to finish a film wherein the pieces are stronger than the whole. Where you can understand the intent of a project, yet, whether by style, structure, or some other technical… Read More ›
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Overlords and dungeon masters can’t handle “Max Reload and the Nether Blasters.”
Sometimes a movie drops that you know is intended for the widest audience possible. These often take the form of a drama like 2019’s Astronaut, a romance like 2019’s Ode to Joy, or a comedy like 2020’s Palm Springs. There’s… Read More ›