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

• HBO Documentary “Alternate Endings: Six New Ways to Die in America” follows six stories of final arrangements that go beyond traditional methods.

  By Douglas Davidson on August 13, 2019 • ( 3 )

  

  The process of dealing with death is a universal one. A popular axiom is also one of the great truths, “time comes for us all.” How one’s life or death is honored or celebrated upon passing can be influenced by… Read More ›

• Six Must-See Films at the 2019 DC Black Film Festival

  By Douglas Davidson on August 12, 2019 • ( 0 )

  

  The DC Black Film Festival returns on Thursday, August 15th, 2019 when it kicks-off with a screening of Solace at The Miracle Theatre. Over the course of its three-day run, the DC BFF will host viewings of features and documentaries short and… Read More ›

• Relive the emotional conclusion to the MCU’s Infinity Saga – “Avengers: Endgame” – on home video now.

  By Douglas Davidson on August 10, 2019 • ( 0 )

  

  Quantifying the significance of Avengers: Endgame is a lofty task. For some, the 22-film collection Marvel Studios crafted is an exercise in inconsequential extravagance which has shifted how studios make movies for the worse. These films have even been described… Read More ›

• “The Kitchen” lays bare all of the good, the bad, and the ugly that comes with mob life in this DC Vertigo adaptation.

  By Douglas Davidson on August 7, 2019 • ( 1 )

  

  Ask virtually anyone and they’ll tell you that the only thing in the theaters these days are reboots, remakes, and superhero films. To a degree, that’s pretty spot on. Studios make more of what audiences pay to see and nostalgia… Read More ›

• By shedding tropes, the genuine and heartfelt “The Peanut Butter Falcon” soars.

  By Douglas Davidson on August 7, 2019 • ( 2 )

  

  Often in cinema, acclaim comes to non-disabled performers telling the stories of members of the disabled community. Jon Voight in Coming Home, Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump, and Sean Penn in I Am Sam are just a few which come… Read More ›

• You can catch all the action now that “Pokémon Detective Pikachu” is available on home video.

  By Douglas Davidson on August 4, 2019 • ( 0 )

  

  Of the various games and crazes to come out of the late ‘80s/early ‘90s, there is none still so active and prolific as the Pokémon games. First created as a card-based game which gamified Satoshi Tajiri’s childhood passion for collecting… Read More ›

• Meet Me at the Movies, Films of 1969

  By Douglas Davidson on August 3, 2019 • ( 0 )

  

  EoM founder Douglas Davidson once again joins Noel T. Manning, Greg Tillman, and Tim Foster for the August 2nd broadcast of Meet Me at the Movies. This time around we discuss the Films of 1969, as well as those that emanate… Read More ›

• Mystery thriller “8 Remains” is a strong tale of feminine empowerment, if frustratingly uneven.

  By Douglas Davidson on August 2, 2019 • ( 0 )

  

  The act of creating is a cathartic experience for most. That feeling of something welling up inside which must be written, crafted, or molded or else the creator will burst. Sometimes this results in an extremely personal work which resonates… Read More ›

• It may not yet offer justice for Han, but “Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw” brings all the popcorn-munching, adrenaline-fueled action you desire.

  By Douglas Davidson on July 31, 2019 • ( 3 )

  

  When it comes to the Fast & Furious films, the first thing you do is check your brain at the door. These aren’t films for intellectuals, but are pure popcorn-munching, adrenaline-fueled action spectaculars where the men and women are fierce… Read More ›

• Coming To Theaters: August 2019

  By Douglas Davidson on July 31, 2019 • ( 2 )

  

  Summer is beginning to wind down on the calendar, but things are still running hot at the theater. If you’re thinking to yourself that there’s nothing hitting theaters in August, please allow this list of 34 films an opportunity to change your mind…. Read More ›

• “Leo Da Vinci: Mission Mona Lisa” is fun for the whole family.

  By Douglas Davidson on July 30, 2019 • ( 0 )

  

  With the LEGO films, a Secret Life sequel, an upcoming Playmobil film — not a joke — and all the other big studio animated films, it’s easy to miss out on the smaller films from less well-known studios. One such… Read More ›

• Cody Meirick’s directorial debut “Scary Stories” explores the known and unknown behind the famous book series.

  By Douglas Davidson on July 26, 2019 • ( 0 )

  

  If you were in elementary or middle school between 1981 and 1991, chances are you’re familiar with the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark series. From the iconic artwork created by Stephen Gammell to the haunting tales created by… Read More ›

• The Cine-Men, Episode 18

  By Douglas Davidson on July 25, 2019 • ( 0 )

  

  Before a brief hiatus of recording begins, hosts Darryl and Douglas bring on their first ever guest, Charlotte local and director Chris Baker, so that we can have a bit more credibility to discuss some of our favorite director/actor combinations…. Read More ›

• Though predictable at times, “Astronaut” manages to hit escape velocity with its emotional moments.

  By Douglas Davidson on July 23, 2019 • ( 1 )

  

  Time has a way of putting things into perspective. In our youth, we think it a limitless resource. In old age, we think it precious. Often, the older we become, the less concerned we are for how things look or… Read More ›

• “The Mountain” turns the camera on the darker aspects of 1950s America.

  By Douglas Davidson on July 22, 2019 • ( 0 )

  

  Art is, by and large, up to the individual to determine its value. What is beloved by one can be reviled by another. While some engage in heated debate, others forgo intellectual discourse for out-right verbal fisticuffs when others don’t… Read More ›

• Netflix Original “Point Blank” is a remake both familiar and unique.

  By Douglas Davidson on July 19, 2019 • ( 0 )

  

  In the battle for consumer attention, there are few who can proclaim the sheer amount of content Netflix offers on a daily basis. As one of the original disruptors of consumed content (first as a disc-only service before shifting to… Read More ›

• “Into the Ashes” is an engaging, introspective crime thriller.

  By Douglas Davidson on July 18, 2019 • ( 2 )

  

  Writer/director Aaron Harvey has a distinct thing for set-ups and betrayals. His last two features — Catch .44 and The Neighbor — deal distinctly in these aspects as characters don’t know who to trust at any given moment. Where those films… Read More ›

• “Iron Sky: The Coming Race” is the rare sequel to outdo its predecessor.

  By Douglas Davidson on July 16, 2019 • ( 1 )

  

  When director Timo Vuorensola made his feature debut with 2012’s Iron Sky, many likely presumed – this writer included – that a film centered on Moon Nazis likely wouldn’t make a splash, let alone create a cult following, when it… Read More ›

• “Fast Color” is the superpower movie you missed this year, but now you can catch it on home video.

  By Douglas Davidson on July 15, 2019 • ( 2 )

  

  At their start, children are nothing but raw potential. As they grow, they are either lean into their potential or they run from it. Sometimes it’s a reaction to their environment, sometimes it’s in their nature, but it informs who… Read More ›

• “Luz” is a strong first-go for director Tilman Singer, keeping audiences anticipating every move.

  By Douglas Davidson on July 15, 2019 • ( 1 )

  

  When you think of horror films, what names come to mind? If you’re going old school, you’ll get John Carpenter, Wes Craven, George A. Romero, Mary Lambert, Sam Raimi, Tobe Hooper, Takashi, Miike, Lucio Fulci, Dario Argento, and David Cronenberg…. Read More ›