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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Feeling nostalgic for the Old West? “The Outsider” may be just the ticket.
In 2018, a wildfire tore through California, burning homes and woodland areas to ash as it raged. Of the many things destroyed, the one most closely linked to cinema history was the Paramount Ranch. Purchased in the 1920s, the Paramount… Read More ›
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Martial arts nostalgia only goes so far in “The Unity of Heroes”.
When it comes to crafting compelling stories, anything can inspire ideas: love won or lost, a desire to return to childhood innocence, moments of great historical significance. All of these and more provide the baseline for audiences to engage emotionally… Read More ›
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You can’t get it at Blockbuster but Marvel Studio’s “Captain Marvel” is available on home video.
Captain Marvel represents several things for Marvel Studios and their audience. For one, it’s the first female-led film in their run of 22-films. Considering the absolute badasses which make up the current MCU – Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow, Wanda Maximoff/Scarlett Witch,… Read More ›
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Coming To Theaters: June 2019
Summer may not officially kick off until June 21st, but the movies hitting theaters don’t know that. June brings with it films small (actor Seth Green’s directorial feature debut Changeland) and large (Men in Black: International), each competing for your… Read More ›
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Animated tale “Funan” captures the incredible journey of the human spirit and the personal toll it can take.
Animation is an unbelievably versatile medium for storytelling, more so than most audiences give it credit for. At the mere mention of animation, most think of the latest Disney project like Ralph Breaks the Internet, Frozen, or Moana, each strong… Read More ›
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Listen: The Cine-Men, Episode 15
Been a while since co-hosts Darryl Mansel and EoM founder Douglas Davidson recorded a new Cine-Men episode, so they tried to make it extra special. In addition to chatting about their recent watches and general catching up, they also discuss their… Read More ›
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Documentary “Father The Flame” brings the fading art of pipe-making into vibrant focus.
If a viewer were to visit director Chad Terpstra’s Father The Flame website, the About page contains a lovely adaptation of the René Magritte line from “The Treachery of Images” now-reading “Ceci n’est pas un filme de pipe,” or “This is… Read More ›
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Holy 80th Birthday, Batman! In his honor, WB releases a 4K UHD remaster of the “Batman: Motion Picture Anthology”.
After 80 years in print, the DC Comics Dark Knight, the Batman, is still going incredibly strong. Whether you are an avid comic reader or primarily stick to the broadcast iterations, there’s likely a story that immediately endeared the bereft… Read More ›
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“Booksmart” blends the real with the hyper-real to create absolute magic.
Watching Booksmart, the new teen comedy from Annapurna Pictures, you would not know that this is the directorial debut feature film for Olivia Wilde (Life Itself/House, M.D.). Nuts to bolts, Booksmart is a heat-seeking rocket of a film. It’s precise,… Read More ›
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Writer/director Sarah Pirozek’s teenage noir “#Like” pulses with the energy of a ‘70s thriller. [Brooklyn Film Festival]
There’s a constant argument between generations about who had it worse vs. who had it better. The “always on” digital generation may scoff at the concept of their predecessors’ reliance on books for information, while the analog generation derides their… Read More ›
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Writer/director Jason B. Kohl’s feature debut “New Money” is an indictment of prescription culture.
Debut features are more than a coming out, they often represent the clearest version of the individual. In the case of directors, debuts provide the most honest interpretation of how the director views the world. In the case of Jason… Read More ›
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“Isn’t It Romantic” lampoons rom-coms and owns every minute of it.
Before you can lampoon something, before you can satirize something, you must know as much can you can about it. You have to know the ins-and-outs of it, the heart and soul of it. In order for the humor to… Read More ›
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Watch: Meet Me at the Movies, Show 341
EoM Founder Douglas Davidson returns as a guest on fellow NCFCA member Noel T. Manning’s Meet Me at the Movies. Though they entered with a long list of content, they enjoyed discussing the new potential Batman, the 20th Anniversary of The Phantom Menace, Rocketman, and John Wick:… Read More ›
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Elton John biopic “Rocketman” is an extraordinary musical journey of the soul.
Biopics are tricky. Just ask 2019 Oscar winning films Green Book and Bohemian Rhapsody. For the former, the issue is telling the tale of a Black musician through the lens of his White companion. For the latter, the writers reconstructed… Read More ›
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Tragicomedy “Funny Story” offers career-redefining performances from leads Matthew Glave and Emily Bett Rickards.
Intentions always come down to perception. Doesn’t matter how well you intended something to be, how an action or word is received almost always carries more weight. The destructive and rejuvenative power of intent is explored in a surprisingly deep… Read More ›
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Despite some drawbacks, “Ladies in Black” is a charming and airy comedic drama.
Book adaptations are tricky beasts. Take the Game of Thrones series. Beloved by fans, readers, and television watchers alike, the finale season is drawing ire for a perceived underdevelopment of one of the lead characters. In the books by George… Read More ›
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Bone-crunching crime drama “Avengement” breaks expectations by defying conventions.
One of the biggest travesties during the annual Oscars celebration is the continued disregard for stunt work. Sure, studios and talent will rave about the incredible, death-defying work that Tom Cruise attempts in the latest Mission: Impossible film and franchises… Read More ›
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“Big Brother” delivers heart, kicks, and kicks to the heart.
Real life can be a crushing, soul-sucking experience. Even in the best of circumstances, hardships can come from anywhere, putting the best and worst of us all on equal footing in an uncertain word. As cynicism becomes status quo, reminders… Read More ›
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There’s only one thing to say about “John Wick: Chapter Three – Parabellum”: Welcome Back, Mr. Wick.
For audiences, the blood-soaked tale of melancholic assassin John Wick (Keanu Reeves) has been told over the last five years. For the character, his adventures have been an on-going nightmare for only a few weeks. In that time, he’s suffered… Read More ›
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“Extracurricular Activities” is a surprisingly smart and funny dark romp.
A good dark comedy can be a blessing in disguise. It’s a way for an audience to embrace and enjoy the darker sides of themselves vicariously through the terrible acts of others. Even better, since it’s all imaginary, who cares… Read More ›