Welcome to Fistful of Features, a celebration of film preservation through physical media and the discussion of cinematic treasures to maintain their relevance in the cultural lexicon. Let’s now take a look at the 10th anniversary of an uneven but… Read More ›
Films To Watch
Let the spectral agents in: Bring home independent gem “A Ghost Waits” on Blu-ray from Arrow Video.
With limited resources at hand, the incredible cast and crew of A Ghost Waits truly came through with teamwork and creativity. Making the most of what they had and pooling resources from family and friends, the team shot the movie… Read More ›
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 ›
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 ›
Light the fuse on the “Mission: impossible” 25th Anniversary special edition Blu-ray release.
Welcome to Fistful of Features, a celebration of film preservation through physical media and the discussion of cinematic treasures to maintain their relevance in the cultural lexicon. This time we’ll be looking at the 25th anniversary of the first foray… Read More ›
Simon Barrett’s feature directorial debut “Séance” is a first class experience.
As someone who, like many, spent the entirety of their education in public schools, I’ve always had a sick fascination with the mystique of the private school experience, particularly that of the private boarding school experience. There’s something so strangely… Read More ›
Save the future by stopping the past with this limited edition steelbook of “12 Monkeys” from Arrow Video.
The question as to whether or not the future can influence the past has plagued many a writer, and probably a few physicists, too. It’s a notion explored in a variety of films, most recently with Christopher Nolan’s Tenet (2020),… Read More ›
What are you, on dope? Snag “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” from Criterion now.
Welcome to Fistful of Features, a celebration of film preservation through physical media and the discussion of cinematic treasures to maintain their relevance in the cultural lexicon. This time we’ll be taking a look at a pop culture milestone coming… Read More ›
Director Dorothy Arzner’s second Criterion release “Merrily We Go To Hell” is a prime example of the impact of politics on art.
In her 21-year career, director Dorothy Arzner directed 16 films, with three others uncredited, and one in which she served as a sequence director. In the history of filmmaking, a career like Arzner’s is largely forgotten between the capitalist and… Read More ›
Guy Ritchie’s “Wrath of Man” is mean, gritty, and surprising in its restraint.
Writer/director Guy Ritchie last dazzled audiences (or, at least this reviewer) with the fairly up-tempo 2019 Matthew McConaughey crime-thriller-comedy The Gentlemen. A film which, despite a few faults, reminded audiences how much of a good time they can have exploring… Read More ›
Brutal entanglements and a thrilling narrative have what it takes to “Deliver Us From Evil.”
Returning to the director’s seat for the second time, Hong Won-chan trades murder most foul within the blue collar arena for the underbelly of Asia and Southeast Asia in Deliver Us From Evil (다만 악에서 구하소서). In a film that’s… Read More ›
“Speed” gets kicked into high gear with its first 4K UHD release.
“Pop quiz, hotshot …” If you were alive past 1994, then you’ve likely heard that phrase multiple times across various genres and forms of entertainment. As much a question of mettle of the recipient as it is a boast of… Read More ›
Zhang Yimou’s spy thriller “Cliff Walkers” subverts expectations at every turn, offering a meal for hungry audiences.
Writer/director Zhang Yimou is many things, but subtle is not one of them. His projects often feature beautiful cinematography and elegant performances while exploring the complexities of humankind, resulting in films that are often far more poetic than narratively straight…. Read More ›
Fistful of Features: Week of April 27th
Welcome to Fistful of Features, a celebration of film preservation through physical media and the discussion of cinematic treasures to maintain their relevance in the cultural lexicon. This edition will focus on three films: two from the great Mel Brooks… Read More ›
Albert Brooks’s phenomenally funny “Defending Your Life” gets the Criterion treatment.
Welcome to Fistful of Features, a celebration of film preservation through physical media and the discussion of cinematic treasures to maintain their relevance in the cultural lexicon. I’m taking a different approach this time around and decided to focus on… Read More ›
Hey, Birthday Boy! Bring home the party with “Willy’s Wonderland” on home video.
Sometimes, the movie experience you need most is the one with the least number of hurdles to get over. There’s a comfort that comes from a film that’s so straight-forward and streamlined that you can just kick back and enjoy… Read More ›
Two features and five shorts to keep an eye out for. [SXSW Film Festival]
SXSW 2021 has come and gone, offering accredited press a dizzying array of opportunities in which to indulge. While the Elements of Madness coverage team wrote a hearty portion of reviews, there were far more films worth seeing than we… Read More ›
Liberate tutemet ex inferis. “Event Horizon” Collector’s Edition coming from Shout! Factory.
Have you taken time to praise our lord and savior Paul W.S. Anderson today? For his truth and wisdom are great and mighty, and his camp polished and lively. For he…also made the Resident Evil movies, and that’s pretty cool,… Read More ›
Funimation’s 4K UHD Limited Edition set of “Akira” is well worth the time and investment.
Director Katsuhiro Ôtomo’s 1988 adaptation of his own 1982 manga, Akira, is considered one of the greatest film ever made if only for its influence on all the post-apocalyptic cyberpunk stories to come. Both the manga and film pre-date Masamune… Read More ›
Fistful of Features: Week of March 16th
Welcome to this week’s edition of Fistful of Features, a weekly column that celebrates film preservation through physical media and discusses cinematic treasures from every genre to maintain their relevance in the cultural lexicon. There are some great releases that… Read More ›