Reviews

Illustration of a person in a brown garment holding a knife, with red and white streaks in the background.

Filmmaker Tsui Hark’s violent wuxia deconstruction “The Blade” joins The Criterion Collection with a first-time 4K UHD restoration.

By Douglas Davidson on March 31, 2026 • ( 0 )

Martial arts fans have it so good right now; it’s truly incredible. With deals being made to restore and re-print various titles out of Hong Kong, what was once hard to find (Hard Boiled) and barely accessible on HD (Rumble… Read More ›

A woman stands in front of floral wallpaper with a mirror reflecting a man in the background.

“Mallory’s Ghost” fails to take full form past the trope of a haunting past. [SXSW]

By justin waldman on March 30, 2026 • ( 0 )

There’re plenty of ideas and concepts that are intriguing and thought provoking in Mallory’s Ghost, having its world premiere in the Competition section of SXSW Film & TV Festival 2026, but not all of them land. Nick Canellakis (Talent Has… Read More ›

Two people floating and embracing above a city skyline under a cloudy sky.

Jonás Cuarón’s novel adaptation “Campeón Gabacho” exalts the power of hope and community at a time we need it most. [SXSW]

By Douglas Davidson on March 30, 2026 • ( 0 )

Despite all the arguments for America First ideology as a way to preserve the United States with the ideology formed on a basis of Christian Nationalism, it’s a belief system that cannot stand in the wake of actual data and… Read More ›

Two people embracing outdoors, one smiling broadly with visible emotion.

“Sinner Supper Club” delivers exactly what it promises. [SXSW]

By justin waldman on March 29, 2026 • ( 0 )

The logline for Sinner Supper Club gives a rough idea for the movie. It’s “an improvised gay mumblecore ghost story shot on an iPhone in six days,” and I think that prepares audiences for exactly what they’re getting themselves into…. Read More ›

Night vision image of two people seated close together in a dark outdoor setting.

“Heritage” utilizes creativity in the found-footage genre to create an atmospheric experience. [Unnamed Footage Festival]

By AJ Friar on March 28, 2026 • ( 0 )

Heritage is a strong example of how found-footage filmmaking can still feel fresh when handled with restraint and intention. From its opening moments, the film carries a quiet confidence that immediately recalls the tonal playbook of the Coen Brothers, not in… Read More ›

Two people in a grassy field, one standing with a camera, the other sitting on the ground.

“Crash Land” embraces the messy improv of life. [SXSW]

By AJ Friar on March 28, 2026 • ( 0 )

Crash Land can easily be pitched as Jackass with a ton of heart, but that shorthand barely scratches the surface of what makes the film resonate. Beneath its chaotic, stunt-driven exterior lies a surprisingly tender coming-of-age story that uses absurdity,… Read More ›

Two women sitting across from each other, one holding the other's chin in a dimly lit room with a crystal ball on the table.

“Forbidden Fruits” tempts and delivers on thrills, comedy, and horror.

By justin waldman on March 27, 2026 • ( 0 )

With two Gen Z female leads, the archetypes of Mean Girls (2004), similar plot points as The Craft (1996), and is not as sexually driven as Jennifer’s Body (2009), Forbidden Fruits is a powder keg ready to explode in epic… Read More ›

Two women at a bar toasting with drinks beneath an ornate chandelier.

Run, run, run! It’s time to hide. “Ready or Not: Here I Come.”

By Douglas Davidson on March 27, 2026 • ( 0 )

The directing team known as Radio Silence, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, have established themselves over the years as an assured hand in the horror space. From their contribution to the 2012 anthology series V/H/S to revitalizing the Scream series… Read More ›

Three people smiling and gesturing together, linking pinkies, in a warmly lit room.

Invite the modern “Merrily We Roll Along” into your home via a proshot Broadway performance on Blu-ray.

By Dalin Rowell on March 26, 2026 • ( 0 )

When you’re raised in a musical theatre loving family, you often are served a delicious buffet of Broadway talent. From the classic tunes of Rodgers and Hammerstein (Oklahoma!) to the ‘80s stylings of Andrew Lloyd Webber (The Phantom of the… Read More ›

Person aiming a handgun at another individual outdoors.

Transgressive master Takashi Miike’s violent, mean-spirited “Agitator” gets a solo-edition home release with updated resolution by Radiance Films.

By Blak Cinephile on March 26, 2026 • ( 0 )

Trigger Warning: Agitator contains sequences of graphic violence and sexual assault that may be difficult for sensitive viewers. It’s a rather tall order to not expect a yakuza film with title Agitator to not … well, agitate you. But such… Read More ›

Person in a red outfit sitting on a rooftop with a smartphone, against a backdrop of clear sky and power lines.

Jenna MacMillan’s feature directorial debut “The Snake” is powered by the charismatic performance of its lead. [SXSW]

By justin waldman on March 25, 2026 • ( 0 )

Have you ever watched It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and wondered to yourself what would happen to the gang if they didn’t have each other? Well, if you have, and your particular interest laid with what would happen to Sweet… Read More ›

Close-up of a person with a blurred, brightly lit urban background.

Horror dramedy “Bagworm” takes audiences into the perceptions of the infected and addled mind of a wayward man. [SXSW]

By justin waldman on March 25, 2026 • ( 0 )

There are movies that try to bend reality and change the way we see the world, and director Oliver Bernsen (Connective Tissue) and writer Henry Bernsen (When We Get to Heaven) certainly try to hammer down that misconception and what… Read More ›

Close-up of a man in sunglasses with a reflective scene, and another man in a suit smoking a cigarette in the background.

A classic sprawling epic of power and politics within a powerful crime syndicate, Sadao Nakajima’s “The Japanese Godfather Trilogy” finally arrives on Blu-ray, courtesy of Radiance Films.

By Blak Cinephile on March 24, 2026 • ( 0 )

Sadao Nakajima’s Japanese Godfather Trilogy is a collection of three yakuza films made between 1977 and 1978 based on the true story of Japan’s largest crime syndicate. Taking some inspiration (both thematically and visually) from Francis Ford Coppola’s 1972 gangster… Read More ›

A vibrant digital artwork of a woman's face in vivid orange and red with abstract orange and yellow adornments against a dark, floral background.

Filmmaker Mika Ninagawa’s directorial feature “Sakuran” joins the 88 Asia Collection with a befitting limited edition.

By Douglas Davidson on March 24, 2026 • ( 0 )

Adapting a work properly requires a confluence of events. It’s more than just translating one media into another as you need someone who understands the context of the source, who gets what it means to be moved to a new… Read More ›

Hikers exploring a mossy, rocky area under a cliff beside a waterfall.

Meta thriller “And Her Body Was Never Found” is not #relationshipgoals, but it is a dynamic and cruel feature film directorial debut. [SXSW]

By Douglas Davidson on March 23, 2026 • ( 1 )

“L’enfer, c’est les autres.” – Jean-Paul Sartre in No Exit. Making movies is a large endeavor. Outside of the requirement for a creative idea, you also need the time to cultivate it, the financing to fund it, and the team… Read More ›

A person in a black and yellow motorcycle suit holds a helmet in an industrial warehouse space with high ceilings and yellow columns.

“Phoenix Jones: The Rise and Fall of a Real Life Superhero” is a timeline of a vigilante from concept to present day. [SXSW]

By justin waldman on March 22, 2026 • ( 0 )

If you’ve never heard of Phoenix Jones, there’re possibly two reasons as to why: you weren’t chronically online during his rise to fame and the timeline of events that followed, and you don’t know every MMA fighter to ever compete…. Read More ›

Four men in casual clothing stand in front of a brick wall.

“40 Years of Fuckin’ Up” captures the life and times of NOFX.

By AJ Friar on March 21, 2026 • ( 0 )

NOFX’s 40 Years of Fuckin’ Up is a loud, irreverent, and surprisingly heartfelt documentary celebrating four decades of chaos from one of punk rock’s most enduring bands, NOFX. For longtime fans, the film lands with a bittersweet edge. The band… Read More ›

Animated character's face behind blurred pink flowers with large green eyes visible.

Allow animated dramedy “Little Amélie or the Character of Rain” to ascend to your home collection.

By Douglas Davidson on March 20, 2026 • ( 0 )

At a point in the director interview for their film, Little Amélie or the Character of Rain (Amélie et la métaphysique des tubes), co-directors Maïlys Vallade (The Lighthouse Keeper) and Liane-Cho Han (Voodoo) discuss the Japanese belief that children under… Read More ›

Three women stand near a bed where another woman lies face down under a blue comforter in a dimly lit blue-themed room.

Stella Markert’s tragicomic “Thanks for Nothing” invites audience to embrace anarchy and themselves. [SXSW]