Realism is overrated. We experience it every day: the fear, the frustration, the constantly moving goal posts. Sometimes, it’s really nice to experience something so off the rails, so unrealistic, that all you can do is hold on and go… Read More ›
Recommendation
Boutique distributor Cult Epics provides a lovely restoration of writer/director Just Jaeckin’s romantic comedy “The Last Romantic Lover.”
By 1978, writer/director Just Jaeckin was known for his erotic films Emmanuelle (1974), The Story of O (1975), and Madame Claude (1977). Seeking a break from this, Jaeckin developed romantic comedy Le dernier amant romantique (The Last Romantic Lover) with… Read More ›
The Idris Elba-led survival actioner “Beast” doesn’t so much roar as whimper.
Isolated creature features are far from rare or being particularly hard to produce, but when done well, they can be a paragon of simple, effective filmmaking delivering concentrated thrills. The past few years have provided moviegoers with quite a few… Read More ›
Dropping on home video from Paramount Pictures is animated family adventure-comedy “Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank.”
Originally titled Blazing Samurai, the Paramount Animation family film Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank released in theaters July of 2022, an anthropomorphic take on the Mel Brooks-directed comedy classic Blazing Saddles (1974). Loaded top to bottom with star… Read More ›
“Halloween Ends” explores the changing shape of evil as it closes out David Gordon Green’s “Halloween” trilogy.
It all began in 1978 on Halloween Night for Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) as she survived an attack by Michael Myers (Nick Castle), though her friends were not so lucky. This story, co-written by Debra Hill and John Carpenter… Read More ›
Just in time for Shaun the Sheep’s 25 anniversary, Shout! Factory releases “Farmageddon” on shelves for the first-time in North America.
Nick Park’s Wallace and Gromit characters first appeared in 1989’s A Grand Day Out and have gone on to spawn and spin-off other productions. One such character, Shaun the Sheep, was a central part of 1995’s A Close Shave and… Read More ›
Anthology film “Give Me An A” is an artful expression of rage, disappointment, and fear. [Fantastic Fest]
June 24th, 2022: the United States Supreme Court overturned the 1973 decision to make abortion in the U.S. legal. This is not only a blow to the modern Women’s Rights Movement, but it also opened the door for the Supreme… Read More ›
“Unidentified” offers a unique perspective on the concept of ‘us’ and ‘them.’ [Fantastic Fest]
During Fantastic Fest 2022, there is a segment of films the festival placed under a section titled “Burnt Ends.” To paraphrase the section description, it includes a selection of films that may have been made on a shoe-string budget, they… Read More ›
Plenty of rare and new chills can be found within the “Paranormal Activity: The Ultimate Chills Collection.”
If you talk to horror film buffs or people who are generally interested in the timeline and history of film, there is always an argument about what the first ever found footage movie was. For someone who is less knowledgeable… Read More ›
10 films to check out during the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival 2022.
For the very first time, Elements of Madness will be remotely covering the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival. In the run-up to the event, we wanted to highlight 10 films screening during the festival that we’re either most excited to see… Read More ›
The Criterion Collection adds a 4K UHD option for their restoration of George A. Romero’s “Night of the Living Dead.”
Boutique physical media distributor The Criterion Collection began offering 4K UHD editions of their monthly releases starting in November 2021 with Citizen Kane (1941) and Mulholland Dr. (2001). Since then, each month, a new 4K UHD edition has been released,… Read More ›
In honor of the 25th Anniversary, take a stab at the brand-new 4K UHD edition of “Scream 2.”
In its history, horror has covered a wide range of styles, formats, and tones. It was only a matter of time before the genre would turn inward to look at itself, which it did with aplomb in 1996’s Wes Craven-directed… Read More ›
“DC League of Super-Pets” delivers for the adult and child superhero fans alike.
There’s an old adage that man’s best friend is his dog. It should be no surprise, then, that in March of 1955, writer Otto Binder and artist Curt Swan introduced Krypto in Adventure Comics #210, a story featuring Superboy. Over… Read More ›
Creature Feature “They Crawl Beneath” lacks the teeth to create above ground worry.
Now, I am all for practical effects, especially when it comes to creature movies, but if practical effects are going to be the difference maker between having a creature movie with a creature and not, then I would much prefer… Read More ›
Oliver Park’s “The Offering” unleashes horrors upon the cast as tribute to the audience. [Fantastic Fest]
For what appears to be his first time directing a full feature and writing a full feature, Oliver Park certainly does not shy away from the shock and awe factor while honing his craft into Jewish lore and horrors. For… Read More ›
Honor, pain, and cuddles are just the beginning of Alberto Vázquez’s “Unicorn Wars.” [Fantastic Fest]
If you go down in the woods today, you’re sure of a big surprise If you go down in the woods today, you’d better go in disguise For every bear that ever there was Will gather there for certain because… Read More ›
Action drama “Preman: Silent Fury” hits harder with the pathos than violence.
Murder, mayhem, sorrow, grief, pain, redemption: these are universal aspects of storytelling that transcend time and place. For stories that combine these to the point where pulpy isn’t just a way to describe the story but the viscera that remains… Read More ›
Darius Marder’s award-winning “Sound of Metal” joins the Criterion Collection.
Of the many things that occurred as a result of COVID-19 in 2020, as it related to the film industry, was that movies were either pushed over and over, rescheduled to a later date entirely, or sold to streamers. Films… Read More ›
Rock out with “Thor: Love and Thunder” anytime on home video and Disney+.
At the time of its release, Thor: Ragnarok (2017) was unlike any other Marvel Studios release to date. It embraced the visual style of writer/artist Jack Kirby, it dared to remove the seriousness of the prior two outings, and it… Read More ›
For its 40th anniversary, a 4K UHD edition of “Poltergeist” is heeerrrreee.
You always remember your first. Some are scary, some are bloody, most are just plain bad, but everyone remembers their first…horror movie. For my pivotal moment of exposure, I dropped in on my sister’s slumber party with her middle school… Read More ›